Northern Ireland Environment Minister Alex Attwood has reluctantly decided not to block the demolition of the Athletic Stores, an iconic Belfast landmark, as part of a mixed-use redevelopment scheme. The building is not listed but is in a conservation area.
He concluded that demolition was the preferred option on account of the building’s structural flaws. Retaining the facades would not have been feasible, he insisted.
He said: ‘I conclude that the planning decision for a retail and residential development is the better one, unfortunate though that is. I have worked to see if the building, even the façade, could be saved. In coming to this view, I have been mindful of the risky state of the building, the unhealthy state of the property market and the disproportionate and uneconomic costs to even save the facade.’
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