The Nambarrie Tea building in Waring Street in the Cathedral Quarter is believed to have attracted interest from at least four hotel companies before the successful bid.
Pragma negotiated planning permission through a difficult planning process in 2013 and in particular rebutted successfully the view put forward by objectors that apartments would not be suitable for the site. Objectors claimed that the building was an important reminder of Belfast’s tea trade, however documents discovered by Pragma proved that assertion to be unfounded with the building being a recent addition after the Belfast blitz and the previous use on the site being unconnected to the tea trade.
Assertions that the proposal would be out of character also proved to be unfounded and the design by Povall Worthington was accepted and deemed that it would cause no harm to the setting of listed buildings in the vicinity.