City arts centre's cash windfall

The Crescent Arts Centre is a grade-B listed building

One of Belfast's landmark buildings, the Crescent Arts Centre, is to benefit from additional government millions, it has emerged.

The grade-B listed building, situated on University Road in the south of the city, is undergoing a major makeover.

But the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is to pump a further £2m into the project.

This is on top of £2.5m it had already committed to the centre, much of which had been derelict.

The new money will cover additional building costs. The project will now cost just over £7m, with other money coming from the Arts Council and Lottery Fund.

It was initially thought the refurbishment would cost £5m when the project was announced a few years ago. Work is to be completed by 2010.