McAleer & Rushe has secured planning approval from Belfast City Council for the second phase of its Bedford Square scheme.

Above: A 17-storey office block will be built behind the old Ewart Building, which itself will be refurbished

Planning approval paves the way for more than 215,000 sq ft of new grade A office space for the city.

Phase two of the city centre development consists of a new 17-storey office building providing 182,598 sq ft of grade A office accommodation, as well as the refurbishment of the listed William Ewart building to create a further 34,942 sq ft of space. The Ewart building a former linen warehouse, has been vacant for more than 25 years.

Work is expected to start on site in the coming months. McAleer & Rushe is in talks with potential office occupiers.

The first phase of the project was completed in 2006 and is home to the headquarters of Invest Northern Ireland. The latest buildings are on adjacent sites and arranged around a new public piazza in Belfast city centre.

McAleer & Rushe property director Stephen Surphlis said: “This planning approval is a welcome boost to the Belfast office market, with the second phase of Bedford Square bringing a landmark building back into active use after many years of vacancy and helping to alleviate the shortage of grade A space in the city.

“The first phase of Bedford Square has been a great success and we now have the opportunity to complete the vision with the creation of much-needed business space and new public realm which, together with our Maldron Hotel and QUB student accommodation developments on the adjoining Brunswick Street site, will make a huge contribution to the regeneration of Belfast’s Linen Quarter and this part of the city.”