Upper Crescent is an elegantly curving terrace in south Belfast, constructed in 1846 by timber merchant Robert Corry. Designed in a late Regency style, the three-storey townhouses face a small park in the centre and are situated in the University Quarter, near Queen's University. Over the years, the area has evolved from a prestigious residential address to a mix of residential and commercial uses.

11-12 Upper Crescent, known as Regency House, had been converted into self-contained apartments following planning approvals in 2019. The current application seeks to repurpose these apartments into luxury guest accommodations, reflecting a trend in the area toward high-end tourism developments.

Historical Background:

The properties at 11-12 Upper Crescent have a rich history:

• Construction and Early Occupants (1846): Built by Robert Corry, No. 11 was first occupied by James Greene, the first clerk of Belfast’s Custom House; No. 12 was home to Sir Robert Boag, a textile merchant who founded the Albion Clothing Company and served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1876.

• Conversion to Offices (By 1970): Both properties transitioned from residential use to offices by 1970 and were officially listed as historic buildings in September 1979.

• Acquisition and Refurbishment Attempts (2015-2016): Aurient Ltd acquired the buildings in 2015 with intentions to refurbish them for office use. Renovation work commenced in October 2016 but ceased by the end of that year.

• Planning Approvals for Residential Use (2019): In April 2019, two planning applications were submitted by Aurient Ltd (
  LA04/2019/0898/F & LA04/2019/0929/F) to convert the properties into six self-contained apartments, which were approved in October 2019.

Future Proposals:

In January 2025, Aurient Ltd submitted a planning application (LA04/2025/0211/F) proposing to transform Regency House from self contained apartments to luxury guest accommodation with associated guest pantry, open courtyards, laundry and bin/bicycle store. There are no proposed building works, as the internal layouts remain unaffected. This proposal aligns with recent developments in Upper Crescent, where other historic properties have been restored for high-end tourism purposes.

In August 2025, it was announced that a four-year £7 million restoration project located at Regency House was completed adding 7,275 sq. ft to the boutique townhouse’s existing footprint, the restoration spans four floors across two additional landmark Grade II listed Georgian terrace buildings at 14 and 15 Upper Crescent. Eight new bedrooms have now been added to the property’s six existing one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites, with a restaurant added on the ground floor.