Broadcaster Relocates to City Quays
The latest tenant to be announced for City Quays is ITV Broadcasting, owners of UTV. The local broadcaster is relocating from its previous home at Havelock House to City Quays 2 at Belfast Harbour.
Belfast firm McLaughlin & Harvey has been appointed to fit-out the 11,400 sq ft space and create a modern broadcasting centre complete with HD studio, editing technology and office space for all of UTV’s staff.
UTV, which is taking the top floor of City Quays 2, is expected to begin broadcasting from its new studios in the summer of 2018.
Welcoming the move, Graeme Johnston, Belfast Harbour’s Property Director, said:
“To confirm a household name such as ITV as the first tenant for City Quays 2 is excellent news and a great reflection on the flexibility of the office space available.”
“Other cities such as Manchester have benefitted from the creation of media quarters such as MediaCityUK and there is the potential to replicate that success here. NBC Universal is already based in City Quays 1, the Belfast Telegraph is located nearby in Clarendon Dock and both the Belfast Harbour Film Studios and Titanic Studios are within easy reach.”
“City Quays 2 has been one of the largest speculative office developments in Northern Ireland in recent years and could ultimately accommodate 1,000 workers.”
Speaking earlier in the year Terry Brennan, Head of News and Programming at UTV said:
“We are delighted to have secured the entire eighth floor of this prestigious new building which is in a prime location in central Belfast for our new UTV headquarters. We can see how beneficial this location will be, in terms of the surrounding amenities and transport links for our modern news operation.
“This is also a significant milestone in UTV’s history and represents a multi-million pound investment by ITV since it acquired UTV just over a year ago. We aim to be operational at the new site by the middle of next year, when the detailed technical work will be complete to fit out the new HD studios, edit suites, corporate offices and news, administration, finance and sales areas for our staff.”
UTV had been based at Belfast’s Havelock House since its launch in Northern Ireland in 1959. City Quays is a 20-acre, £250m office-led development on Belfast’s waterfront. In addition to Grade ‘A’ office space it will also include a four-star hotel operated by AC Marriott and a 900-space multi-storey car park.
