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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Michael Kenwood

Belfast's Church Lane to glow at night with festoon lights

Belfast city centre’s Church Lane is to be lit up at night with festoon lights.

The busy night time location, which hosts popular spots such as Muriel’s Cafe Bar and Bullitt Hotel, will take pride of place in the city night life after the council agreed to an application by One Belfast Business Improvement District, who are based at the Scottish Provident Building on Donegall Square.

The application was recommended by council officers and was passed unanimously at the last Planning Committee at City Hall (January 18). The move follows similar lighting at the shorter Commercial Court, home to the Duke of York bar.

The application was neighbour notified and advertised in the local press, and no objections were received by the council.

A council report states: “The site is located within the Belfast City Centre conservation area. Overall, the proposal would preserve the character and appearance of the area, including the conservation area, and would not be detrimental to the setting of nearby listed buildings, amenity of neighbouring properties or harmful to highway safety.”

It adds: “The street is pedestrianised and therefore only used sporadically by some service vehicles. Given this, and the height of the lighting from street level, it is not anticipated that the proposal would block or impair views of any existing signage or cause any significant impact on road safety."

There will be approximately 15 crossing centenary wires with two or three alternate festoon lights, 5.8 metres from the ground, hanging between High Street and Ann Street. Light fittings will not be directly attached to any building.

The proposal includes wires attached to 4 to 8 Church Lane, a Georgian style Grade B2 listed building, which houses the Miss Moran Ltd tobacco shop. Stormont’s Historical Environment Division offered no objections in terms of the impact on the setting of any adjacent listed buildings.

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