Three buildings in the University area of South Belfast are set for listed status, after City Hall lent its support to the proposals.
At the March meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, elected representatives supported the listing of 119 University Street, 121 University Street, both BT7, and 21 Wellington Park, Belfast, BT9.
A listed building is one included in a list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. The Stormont Department of Communities is responsible for giving the status for lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, but all prospective lists are put through the council for noting before going to consultation.
READ MORE: Newly built Belfast student block to open three floors for short-term let
READ MORE: "Failure" of Divis and Unity Flats to be repeated at Havelock House site, City Hall hears
The second survey of all of Northern Ireland's building stock, is currently underway, to update and improve on the first list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, which began in 1974. This second survey in Belfast was due to be completed in 2017 but is ongoing.
119 and 121 University Street are a pair of substantial late Victorian, two-bay, three storey with attic, redbrick, terraced houses. They have original and highly decorative plasterwork internally, constructed between 1890 and 1893 to designs by noted Belfast architect William J Fennell.
Fennell was a distinguished designer of church buildings, domestic dwellings and schools. Some of his most well-known works in Belfast are the Water Commissioner’s Office (1883), 68-70 Royal Avenue (1885), Cooke Centenary Church (1890-92) and the Mater Infirmorum Hospital (1894-1900).
His domestic work includes a number of suburban villas in Belfast, largely in the Malone area, and several of which are substantial semi-detached pairs. He had a significant architectural impact on this part of University Street, also subsequently designing All Saints Church (1897-8). The proposed Northern Ireland Environment Agency listing for these houses is B2.
21 Wellington Park is a double-fronted Victorian villa in a domestic gothic revival style. It retains its original aspect and quality including double-height canted bays, decorative brickwork and historic windows. A lot of interior fabric and ornamental detailing survives, and the plan form of the house is largely intact.
The house is associated with Samuel Hogg, notable Shankill Road grocer, and the Montgomery family, who were involved in the local linen trade. The proposed Northern Ireland Environment Agency listing for the house is B1.
Listed buildings in Northern Ireland are divided into four categories. Grade A Special buildings are of national importance including both outstanding grand buildings and the fine, little-altered examples of important style or date.
Grade B+ Special buildings are those that might have merited A status but were reduced over detracting features such as impurities of design, or lower quality additions or alterations.
Grade B1 and B2 Special buildings refer to those of more local importance or displaying good examples of period style. Degrees of alteration or imperfection are acceptable in this category.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
English (United States) ·