Plan for old person's home at Broadway end of Donegall Road in Belfast

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A plan has been submitted for a new elderly residential care and nursing facility at the site of the old Broadway Hall and Monarchy Laundry at the end of Donegall Road, Belfast.

At the October meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, elected representatives agreed for “a pre-emptive committee site visit” before hearing the application.

The description of the application is a “proposed specialist nursing and residential care facility comprising approximately 158 beds, day/dining rooms, treatment rooms, staff rooms, office/store rooms, with car parking provision, cycle parking, refuse storage, landscaping, and associated site and access works.”

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The site is on land on the former Monarch Laundry site, and the Broadway Hall Site, at 451 to 457 Donegall Road, right beside the roundabout with the RISE sculpture on the M1.

The site is close to the area where the Broadway riots erupted in July this year, which saw children as young as seven throwing bricks, bottles, masonry, and petrol bombs at police lines.

Planning Portal information on the application shows the council is still awaiting consultation replies from all the statutory bodies. The Planning Portal does not give the applicant’s details.

In a letter to the council regarding the application, DUP MLA Edwin Poots said: “I have been liaising with the community and the owner regarding this development, it received wide support from locals after a very well attended community consultation.

“The residents of the Donegall Road recognise that elderly care is important and older people need houses as well as families, couples and single people.

“I welcome this investment in South Belfast and look forward to seeing this vacant land developed into a facility that will not only help house my elderly constituents but will provide much needed employment for the local area.”

Tracy Kelly, DUP Councillor for the area, said: “This site has lay dormant for a very long time, I am very glad to see plans for this site to finally be developed and give those in the community who need residential care somewhere to live.

“For many years elderly from the Donegall Road have had to move out of the area, having residential care on their doorstep will give the option to stay. This proposal will ensure vacant land that has been an eyesore in the community for many years be developed.

“Around 200 jobs will also be available for the local community therefore increasing the opportunities for locals residents. For too long this community has been let down with the private sector being the beneficiaries, good to see something for the community for a change.

“The company has held a community consultation that was very well attended and supported by local residents, they are also holding a recruitment drive this week for those seeking employment. I welcome this and have no difficulty at all in supporting this long overdue investment in this area.”

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