Legal & General (L&G) has announced the funding of a €175m (£150m) residential development in Belfast, Northern Ireland, committing to the largest residential investment in the region which will fund the development of 627 new homes – addressing soaring rental demand in the region.
The 627 homes form part of a residential development, known as Loft Lines, located within the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, on the banks of the River Lagan and by the Titanic Belfast Museum. On completion, the Build to Rent scheme will be made up of a mix of 1, 2 and 3-bed apartments, including resident facilities such as a gym, dedicated work from home space, podium gardens and terraces, and will include c. 11,000ft² of commercial space. Loft Lines will be developed by Watkin Jones in partnership with Lacuna Developments, with completion expected in 2026.
Loft Lines is set to not only respond to the rental supply and demand imbalance in Belfast, but also transform the region’s city centre living offer. Marking the first combined Build to Rent and mixed tenure affordable housing scheme in the region, Loft Lines will include an additional 151 affordable homes, funded and operated by Clanmil Housing Association. With a total of 778 new waterfront homes – comprising 627 BTR and 151 affordable homes – the Loft Lines scheme will repurpose the current brownfield site, and further catalyse the regeneration of Titanic Quarter.
The Titanic Quarter is one of Europe’s largest waterfront urban regeneration areas. It is well connected, owing to a €175m (£150m)Rapid Transport System delivered in 2018, to improve the efficiency of mass transit in the city. With an abundance of local amenities, employers including multi-national businesses, and cultural destinations within close proximity of the site, there is a thriving community and strong labour market – resulting in significant demand for high-quality residential property.
