J3272 : McDonald's, Glenmachan Street, Belfast (August 2015)
taken 9 years ago, near to Belfast, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
An area between the Tate’s Avenue/Boucher Road roundabout, and the Broadway roundabout. It changed considerably with the demolition needed for the first Broadway M1 roundabout and all previous landmarks have gone. The 1918 Street Directory shows the site as including the Broadway Damask Co Ltd. In later years, if my memory is accurate, it also included William Adams & Co Ltd, also in the linen trade. Very dilapidated in recent years, various private-sector schemes are currently (December 2017) completed or planned.
The following planning permissions apply
14 November 2012 “Z/2011/1000/F Petrol filling station, shop and forcourt [sic] canopy, carwash bay and store, canopy and screens and hot food drive thru, retention of existing warehouse right turning lane, alterations to previously approved junction and link road to Glenmachan Place Lands at 406-420 Donegall Road and 1-3 Glenmachan Street Belfast”
11 June 2014 “Z/2013/1142/F Freestanding restaurant with associated drive thru, car parking and landscaping installation of customer order display (COD) and canopy Land at 406-420 Donegall Road and 1-3 Glenmachan Street BT12 6JA”
18 September 2014 “Z/2014/0094/F Furniture showroom and ancillary site works Lands at 406-420 Donegall Road and 1-3 Glenmachan Street Belfast BT12 6JA”.
There is also the following application (7 November 2017) “LA04/2017/2574/F Demolition of 4 units, erection of 2 car showrooms, alterations to existing workshop, erection of car valet building and associated car parking. 69-73 Glenmachan Street Belfast”.
The following is a quotation from the Belfast City Council website:
“What is it? RISE is a breathtaking sculpture that is about to change Belfast's skyline forever.
The new landmark for Belfast will be built at Broadway Roundabout, one of the main gateways to the city. It will be the biggest public art sculpture in Belfast.
What's the idea? The sculpture's two globes, cast in silver and white steel, will be lit to symbolise the rising of the sun and new hope for Belfast's future. It aims to help revitalise Belfast, bringing a new focus to the area and projecting a vibrant, confident image of the city.“
“How big will RISE be? At 37.5m high and 30m wide, RISE will be three metres taller than the Albert Clock and six times the weight of a double-decker bus!
RISE is to be located on the southern approach to the city at Broadway and will be visible to the 65,000 people who use the M1 and Westlink daily as well as from the air by over 2.5m passengers who travel in and out of George Best Belfast City Airport every year.
Many pedestrians will walk underneath it on their way to the Park Centre shopping complex or the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Who is the artist? Wolfgang Buttress is the creative genius behind RISE. An experienced artist and sculptor, Wolfgang has produced simple, elegant and contextual artworks for the public realm in the UK, USA, Europe and Japan.
What's the cost? £486,000 is being invested in the sculpture (£330,000 from Department for Social Development, £100,000 from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and £56,000 from Belfast City Council). The project is helping to sustain 140 jobs and 85 per cent of the budget is being spent in Northern Ireland.
Who's making it? Local steel company M Hasson and Sons Ltd in Rasharkin.”