Belfast Stories: Planning Application for £100m Landmark Visitor Attraction Set for Submission
Belfast City Council is preparing to submit the planning application for Belfast Stories, the ambitious £100 million cultural visitor attraction and creative hub planned for the heart of the city centre, with the application expected to be lodged in April 2026 following an extensive public consultation process.
The project, which will transform a 5,000 square metre site at the junction of Royal Avenue and North Street — including the Grade B+ listed former Bank of Ireland building — is projected to attract up to 1.5 million visitors annually and contribute £358 million in direct Gross Value Added to the Northern Ireland economy between 2025-2026 and 2055-2056. The development is expected to support up to 760 jobs during its construction and launch phases.
Background
Belfast Stories has been in development since 2022, with Belfast City Council working alongside architects TODD Architects and Snøhetta to develop a vision for a multi-purpose cultural and tourism destination that celebrates Belfast's history, culture, and people. The project is a cornerstone of the Belfast Region City Deal — a £1 billion co-investment package aimed at fostering inclusive economic growth — and will receive £65 million in public funding from the City Deal, allocated for the delivery period from 2026 to 2032.
A Proposal of Application Notice was submitted in November 2025, triggering a formal pre-application community consultation that ran for 12 weeks from 13 November 2025 to 5 February 2026. The consultation involved local drop-in events, online webinars, and public tours of the site, gathering feedback from residents, businesses, and community groups across Belfast. The findings from the consultation are expected to be published in May 2026 and will inform the final planning submission.
The site, which currently includes vacant land, derelict buildings, and previously demolished properties, has been identified for cultural-led regeneration due to its historically low footfall — a striking contrast to the ambition of what is planned to replace it.
Key Developments
The Belfast Stories development will include several key components: a central House of Stories exhibition building for interactive and immersive storytelling; the restoration and repurposing of the former Bank of Ireland building to include a food hall, restaurant, and winter garden; a creative hub with screen production, post-production, and digital editing facilities; and significant public realm enhancements including landscaping, lighting, and new civic spaces for events and performances.
Belfast City Council has also launched a £250,000 Community Grants Programme to support story-based projects across the city, offering small grants of up to £10,000 and creative project grants of up to £30,000, with projects expected to run between June 2026 and March 2027. This initiative reflects the project's commitment to community involvement and grassroots storytelling, ensuring that Belfast Stories is not simply a building but a living cultural programme rooted in the city's neighbourhoods.
The project is targeted for completion and opening by 2029-2030, with construction anticipated to begin in 2026 or 2027 following planning approval. The planning application, once submitted, will be subject to a statutory consultation period before a decision is made by Belfast City Council's planning department.
Why It Matters
Belfast Stories represents a transformative opportunity for the city centre, bringing new life to a part of Royal Avenue and North Street that has long been in need of regeneration. The attraction's projected visitor numbers would make it one of the most significant tourism draws in Northern Ireland, potentially rivalling the success of Titanic Belfast — which generated an estimated £430 million for the Northern Ireland economy in its first decade and is on track to deliver a £1 billion economic impact by 2030.
The creative hub element also offers the prospect of sustained employment in the screen and digital industries, building on Northern Ireland's growing reputation as a production destination following the success of Game of Thrones and other major productions. For a city centre that has seen significant retail decline in recent years, the cultural and footfall impact of Belfast Stories could be genuinely transformative.
Local Impact
For Belfast residents, Belfast Stories offers something beyond tourism statistics: a permanent, publicly accessible space that tells the city's own story on its own terms. The Royal Avenue and North Street area has long been a gateway to the city centre, but one that has struggled to fulfil its potential. The restoration of the former Bank of Ireland building — a Grade B+ listed structure of genuine architectural merit — will anchor the development in Belfast's built heritage while giving it a contemporary purpose. The Community Grants Programme, meanwhile, ensures that communities from across the city, not just the city centre, will have a stake in what Belfast Stories becomes.
What's Next
The planning application is expected to be submitted to Belfast City Council's planning department in April 2026. Following submission, the application will be subject to a statutory consultation period before a decision is made. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026 or 2027, with the attraction targeted to open between 2029 and 2030. More information is available from Belfast City Council's consultation portal and Plan Belfast.
