48 - 52 York Street, BT15 1AS
About The Edge
The Edge, located at 48–52 York Street, sits at the prominent junction with Frederick Street in Belfast city centre, close to major transport and academic hubs. It boasts a 45 m frontage on York Street and a 28 m frontage on Frederick Street, covering about 0.145 ha (0.358 acres). The site lies adjacent to the new York Street railway station (opened April 2024), and directly opposite the Ulster University campus.
Following completion in September 2024, the development operates as The Edge - a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) managed by Prestige Student Living. The eleven-storey, 307‑studio scheme includes ground-floor retail spaces, modern communal amenities (gym, yoga studio, cinema, games lounge), secure bike storage, and on-site laundry. A notable sustainability feature of the scheme is its all-electric operation (air-source heat pumps, solar PV), aiming for BREEAM Very Good, Fitwel, and WiredScore certification.
Originally occupied by a mix of four‑ and five‑storey commercial and retail properties, the site underwent multiple stages of redevelopment planning:
April 2014: McNeill (Properties) Ltd submitted an outline planning application (Z/2014/0479/O) to replace existing buildings with a multi-storey student and retail block. This outline planning application was approved in March 2015.
March 2016: Student City Ltd submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) (LA04/2016/0586/PAN) for an 11–14 floor student/retail scheme; PAN accepted.
June 2016: A reserved matters application (LA04/2016/1213/RM) for an 11‑storey block with 307 studios and 3 retail units was submitted by Student City Ltd and approved in October 2017.
August 2022: Construction began with demolition by Eastwood Demolition.
July 2023: Ground works commenced.
April 2024: The structure topped out.
September 2024: The Edge opened, welcoming the first students on 14 September
November 2024: A planning application (LA04/2024/1869/F) was submitted by 48–52 York Street Operating LLP for the temporary change of use of 92 studios (30% of the total) to short-term lets, valid until end‑August 2025.
March 2025: The Belfast City Council approved this temporary use, citing "abnormally high vacancies" in the early months, as the building completion was delayed until September 2024, too late to capture the full student intake
Project Information
Start Date
July 2022
Units
307
Cost
£30,000,000.00
Floors
11
Planning References
LA04/2016/1213/RMLA04/2016/1213/RM
Project Team
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Cranthorpe Corner
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The Cranthorpe Corner, formerly known as Stormont Apartments, site is located at the junction of Holywood Road and Belmont Road, known locally as Gelston's Corner, in East Belfast. The site is broadly triangular in shape and extends to approximately 0.1 hectares in size. The lands have previously been developed as a two storey building which was occupied by a public house called The Stormont Inn and a commercial unit. Part of the site was demolished around 2010 and had housed John R Keir & Co Solictors. The Stormont Inn section of the site was demolished in February 2017.
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St Comgalls
Updated 2 years ago
St Comgalls is a two storey Listed Grade B1 (ref. HB/26/33/004) building that is located on Divis Street. The site was occupied by the old Belfast Model School from 1855 until it was destroyed by fire in 1922. The Catholic Church subsequently took over the site in 1932 and it became St Comgall's Primary School (originally known as St Comgall's Public Elementary School), which opened in December 1933. St Comgalls was designed by R.S. Wilshere. The buildings are characterised by their Neo-Georgian facades in red clay brickwork and grey 'cast stone' with large multi-paned windows and pitched slated roofs. St Comgalls Primary School closed in the 1999. For a period of time after the closure of the school, the Training and Employment Agency and WorkNet had offices in the building to help people into employment. The offices closed down and eventually the site became derelict.
