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Victoria Street, BELFAST, BT1 3GG

After about a year on the market the premises, at Queen’s Square, still have a “for sale” sign. This view is from Albert Square.

The planning application is still under consideration. There are several objections.

A short street running from Victoria Street to Custom House Square (background). Part of the Queen's Square redevelopment can be seen in the middle background.

The former First Trust Bank offices at Queen’s Square. The extension (seen under construction in May 1958 Image - nearest the camera) is the part proposed for demolition.

See Image The First Trust Bank’s former head office (two internally-joined buildings), at the corner of Victoria Street and Queen’s Square (foreground), is now offered for sale. The agents’ board describes them as an “Excellent refurbishment or redevelopment opportunity to alternative uses subject to planning”. Image is a close look at the “join”.

Situated in Queen's Square, at the east end of High Street, this clock tower was built as a memorial to Queen Victoria's Consort, Prince Albert and was completed in 1869. It is 113 feet high and is in a mix of French and Italian Gothic styles. The base of the tower features flying buttresses with heraldic lions. Above them can be seen a statue of the Prince in the robes of a Knight of the Garter. A two tonne bell is housed in the tower. Because the tower was built on wooden piles on marshy reclaimed land, the top of the tower leaned four feet off the perpendicular.Due to this movement, some remedial work took place in 1924.

A ground-mounted plaque, awarded by the Fountain Society http://www.fountainsoc.org.uk/about for this feature Image and Image

The Albert memorial (commonly the “Albert Clock”), at the foot of High Street, dates from 1869. The design was chosen after a competition won by William J Barre (to the chagrin of Charles Lanyon). Due to the nature of the ground here it has become tilted. Substantial restoration work was undertaken and the tower emerged (still, and intentionally, tilted) from its sheeting in 2002. This statue depicts Prince Albert in the robes of a Knight of the Garter and is on the western side.

The applicant has withdrawn the planning application - see the shared description below.

See Image Queen’s Square and the Custom House Square are now established as places of recreation and entertainment for all generations. The latter hosts concerts and similar events. These street lights (which are a bit like smaller versions of floodlights) are particularly useful for nocturnal events.