I traveled by the Glider to Conn’s Water with the intention of visiting the CS Lewis Square but I also took the opportunity to explore a section of the Newtownards Road.

Derelict Ulster Bank Building

The former Ulster Bank building is located at 431-441 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 1PG. It’s a three-storey building designed in 1918 by Blackwood & Jury. The building has a Neo-Georgian style, featuring a curved ground floor with a central doorway flanked by casement windows. Above, a canted two-storey bay with casement windows is flanked by pairs of sash windows. At roof level, there’s a balustrade with a central coat of arms. The building is constructed from Donegal Sandstone and polished black granite.

The Ulster Bank relocated from this building to Connswater Retail Park in early 1998. From March 1998 to March 2013, the building was leased to Ferris, Craig & Moore (FCM Partnership). It was offered for sale in 2013 and sold in October of the same year. The Orange Order occupied the building’s offices temporarily between December 2013 and June 2015 during refurbishment works at Schomberg House. The building was B2 listed in April 2016. In February 2021, a planning application was submitted to convert the upper floors into seven apartments.

Derelict Buildings on Newtownards Road

The Newtownards Road has suffered from dereliction, exacerbated by the Troubles and the closure of public buildings. Several factors have contributed to this decline:

Decline of heavy industry: This has reduced the disposable income of local residents.
Changing retail patterns: The development of shopping centres has drawn business away from the road.
Migration to the suburbs: People moved from inner East Belfast to outlying estates.
Regeneration efforts: Displacement of the local population during regeneration projects.
Other issues include a poor streetscape, lack of open space, and poor housing stock. The area is recognised as an area of deprivation. There have been calls for government investment to address the dereliction.

Recent reports mention that many shops are boarded up. Some suggest that businesses might be paying “protection money”. However, other reports indicate new businesses are opening and doing well.

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