New 73-bed step-down unit backed as health service faces ongoing strain

The former banking centre in Belfast approved for change of use to a Transitional Care Centre

A former banking call centre in Belfast is to be transformed into a Transitional Care Unit following a decision at City Hall.

Elected representatives on Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee unanimously approved an application on Tuesday (February 17) for the proposed change of use from offices to a short-term Transitional Care Unit at Santander House, 1 Mays Meadow, Belfast, close to the Albert Bridge.

The building was originally constructed in the late 1990s for Abbey National.

The unit will comprise 73 en-suite beds, rehabilitation suites and treatment rooms, a laboratory, consulting rooms, a café, two external terraces, and ancillary staff and storage areas. The development will also include an ambulance drop-off bay, the replacement of existing windows, and associated site and access works.

There will be a number of access points to the site, including pedestrian access via East Bridge Street, an ambulance drop-off point to the rear, and internal access from the undercroft parking area. The proposal provides 37 parking spaces at lower ground floor level.

The applicant is Life Works Developments Ltd, based on Clare Road, Gilford, BT63. Statutory and non-statutory consultees supported the proposal, and the council received no third-party representations. Council officers recommended the application for approval.

The building at 1 Mays Meadow, Belfast

Lower Ground Floor

(L-R) Ground Floor, First Floor, and Second Floor Plans

Plan for Third Floor

The council’s planning report states:

“The proposal is within an accessible city centre location. The surrounding commercial character ensures there is no impact on residential amenity. The proposal, being for a change of use of an existing modern building, ensures there is no impact on natural or built heritage assets.

“The proposal will have replacement windows fitted. These will be of a similar design and finish to the existing windows, with some glazing panels replaced with opaque glazed units. This will not impact on the existing style of the building or on the surrounding character.

“The city centre location of the site allows for all forms of transport to be used to access the building. The site benefits from direct access to footpaths, cycle lanes, and both bus and rail public transport.”

The report adds: “These include new insulation and new windows operating at a higher efficiency. The reuse of an existing building is also beneficial for the environment.”

Supporting hospital discharge and reducing pressure

The development comes at a time of sustained pressure across Northern Ireland’s health and social care system, particularly in relation to delayed hospital discharges.

Health trusts have repeatedly highlighted the strain caused by patients who are medically fit to leave hospital but cannot be discharged due to a lack of appropriate step-down or community-based care. These delays reduce the availability of acute beds, contribute to overcrowding in emergency departments and can lead to longer waiting times for treatment.

Transitional care units are designed to bridge the gap between hospital and home, providing short-term rehabilitation and clinical support for patients who no longer require acute hospital treatment but are not yet ready to return home independently.

By creating 73 additional short-term beds in a city centre location, the facility at Santander House has the potential to support earlier discharge from hospital wards, free up acute capacity and ease system-wide pressure — particularly during periods of heightened demand.

While the unit will not in itself resolve the wider structural challenges facing health and social care in Northern Ireland, additional step-down capacity is widely regarded as a key component in improving patient flow and reducing delayed discharge figures.