Plans unveiled for £10m revamp of historic Portrush hotel

Plans to rebuild Portrush’s historic Londonderry Hotel have been unveiled by Andras House.

The £10m project could create around 92 full-time jobs and is now being considered by the Department for Infrastructure.

In 2019 a £6m proposal was backed by the council’s planning committee in 2019 but the Stormont department raised concerns over its effect on the existing listed building.

Now Rajesh Rana’s company has lodged revised plans which they say strikes a balance between commercial and heritage.

Conservation specialists Consarc Architects have been brought on board to help create an 83-bedroom hotel with public areas to include a cafe, bar and restaurant.

Andras Hotels, which also owns the Crowne Plaza in Belfast, said they hope to have the project completed for the return of Golf’s Open Championship in 2025, along with developing the former Northern Bank site opposite  into serviced apartments.

Director Rajesh Rana, above said: “After lengthy discussions with the planners in the Department for Infrastructure, our architects have come up with a solution that marks a turning point in this story.

“Our investment across the two buildings will total £10m and will create 48 jobs during the construction phase and a further 48 direct and indirect jobs when open and trading.

“Our target now is to complete the project by the start of 2025 to be ready for the return of the Open Championship.

“That sounds a long way off, but with a lengthy lead-in time for detail design and contractor tendering, and up to 22 months for site works, we really need to have planning permission granted this spring to hit that target.

“The Council voted in favour of the planning application three years ago. We are now hopeful that the Department for Infrastructure will give the go-ahead to this important project.

“So many people have commented on how much Portrush and the North Coast need this hotel and I am optimistic.”