Planning Context
We understand that planning can be complex, so this page explains what’s covered in the planning application, what has been consulted on and how the process works.
Who is the developer?
Graham Investment Projects (GIP) is a leading national residential developer. It specialises in the development and delivery of high-quality homes of all type and tenure including Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (PBMSA), Build to Rent (BTR), Affordable Homes, Retirement Living and homes for sale on the open market.
It is part of the Graham Group, a family-owned construction company based in Hillsborough, County Down that operate across the UK and Ireland.
Homes for Students is the UK’s largest independent student accommodation provider. It provides a one-stop-shop for high quality management services for on-campus and off-campus student residences. This is Homes for Students’ first project in Northern Ireland.
Where is the site?
The site is located at the junction between the Malone Road and Wellington Park, currently occupied by the InnBelfast hotel and The Botanic Inn.
Site location (click to enlarge)
What is included in the full planning application?
The application will seek full planning permission from Belfast City Council to redevelop the former Wellington Park Hotel site to deliver approximately 580 beds of high-quality, purpose-built managed student accommodation at the heart of Queen’s University Belfast.
The scheme will provide a mix of en-suite rooms and studios, alongside dedicated study areas, social spaces, fitness facilities and landscaped outdoor areas. It also includes new ground-floor active uses to serve students and the local community.
Where are we in the process?
The project team submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) on Friday 8th May 2026 to Belfast City Council to notify them of our intention to submit a major planning application.
As part of the PAN process, we are sharing our proposals with the public through this consultation to seek feedback. Interested parties have been notified through a combination of a public notice in the Belfast Telegraph, an information leaflet drop to local properties and emails to the elected representatives for the area.
At the end of the public consultation period, which closes on Friday 10th July 2026, all feedback received will be reviewed and considered by the project team. A summary of the consultation and responses will be set out in a Pre‑Application Community Consultation (PACC) Report, which will be submitted as part of the planning application.
Once the planning application has been submitted to Belfast City Council, a statutory consultation period will take place. During this stage, comments can be made directly to the Council as they assess and determine the application.