Work is to start this summer on a £60 million hotel and leisure development on a key three-acre site in Belfast's Great Victoria Street, the largest proposed development of its kind in the North. The developers, Andras House, are understood to have secured interest from a major international budget hotel operator for a 270-room hotel in the development, which is known as the Lincoln Centre. Negotiations are under way with another five-star hotel group for a second 120-bedroom hotel in the same complex. The centre will also have an 18-screen cinema complex; a 35,000 sq ft family entertainment complex; a 35,000 sq ft health and fitness club; and 80,000 sq ft of leisure-orientated retail.

The developers are also including 42 south-facing apartments, opening on to Wellwood Street, and car-parking.

Andras House acquired the site from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive after winning a competition against other developers two years ago. The site has been a major gap in Great Victoria Street for years, used only as a surface car-park.

Diljit Rana, managing director of Andras House said: "The development of the Lincoln Centre will make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the Great Victoria Street, Hope Street and Sandy Row area of Belfast."

Andras's Chairman and former Northern Ireland Office Minister, Sir Brian Mawhinney, said the development was an exciting mixture of leisure, retail and entertainment facilities.

"The centre will be in a prime position in the centre of Belfast close to Belfast's main shopping area with excellent road and rail links."

Andras House have been involved in office, hotel and leisure development in Belfast for 20 years.

Agents for Lincoln House in Dublin are Hamilton Osborne King and in Belfast O'Connor Kennedy Turtle.