A council committee has voted against a commercial agreement central to the £100 million Belfast Stories development in the city center, a move that jeopardizes a potential deal with the BBC for studio use.
The Belfast Stories project, first revealed in 2021, aims to create a major cultural attraction. The proposed agreement with the BBC would have allowed the broadcaster to use studio space for 140 days a year for at least 10 years. This space would not have been exclusively branded as a BBC studio, allowing other organizations to utilize it for exhibitions, film screenings, and other cultural events.
Representatives from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and the Green Party voted against the agreement at a recent committee meeting. However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Alliance Party supported the deal. Alliance councillor Jenna Maghie urged opposing parties to reconsider, stating that the project falling short of its potential would be "immensely disappointing" for Northern Ireland's creative industries.
Sources indicate that the event space under discussion may be larger than initially planned, potentially increasing the project's cost by an additional £10 million. The council would, however, expect to receive a financial return from the BBC and other organizations paying for the use of the space.