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Town House Hotel – Ormeau Road, Belfast

Client

Galgorm Collection

Project Value

£4M

Status

Pre-planning

Sector

All Projects, Hotel & Hospitality, Conservation

In 2015, the Galgorm Collection acquired the former Holy Rosary Church and adjacent Parochial House on Belfast’s Ormeau Road, with plans to convert the site into a vibrant bar/restaurant and boutique hotel. Although initial planning and listed building approvals were secured, the operational challenges of converting the existing Parochial House — which was not listed but sat within a conservation setting — raised concerns about viability.

Rejen’s founder, Rob Jennings, was appointed to review the scheme and develop an alternative strategy. The revised proposal suggested demolishing the unlisted Parochial House and replacing it with a bespoke boutique hotel that would align better with operational needs and deliver higher-value guest rooms. The design took its cues from the rhythm, massing, and materiality of the surrounding Area of Townscape Character, ensuring the new hotel would complement the prominent Grade B-listed former church beside it.

 

Through careful analysis and visual impact assessments, and with support from an independent conservation consultant, the revised approach received in-principle support from HED — demonstrating our ability to navigate complex heritage contexts in pursuit of commercially viable hotel reuse and redevelopment.

How We Added Value:

  • Proposed a sensitive but commercially impactful alternative scheme to replace the existing Parochial House.
  • Designed a new-build hotel in an ATC that aligned with the surrounding conservation context
  • Secured in-principle support from HED through a robust conservation-led planning strategy.
  • Provided the client with long-term flexibility by futureproofing planning options for the site.
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