Plans for Northern Ireland's tallest building will be unveiled this week. The 26-storey residential tower will be called Obel, a play on the words obelisk and Belfast, and will be built in the city's revamped docklands next to the historic Custom House on the bank of the river Lagan.

At 80.5 metres it will be the tallest building in the province and the latest in a string of lofty blocks of flats being built across the UK.

Where once high-rise living was synonymous with urban decay, graffiti and poverty, a new wave of properties are aimed at a more aspirational class of dweller. More than 87 towers of more than 20 storeys are planned, according to a recent survey by Savills, the estate agents.

Many offer car parking, gyms and concierge services as well as unparalleled views. Some are conversions of the notorious post-war council towers, many of which are now obsolete.

The Belfast tower will be built by Donegall Quay, a consortium made up of KARL Properties, MAR Properties and Greenfarm Developments.

The group has just won planning permission and will this week host an opening ceremony for the project, which will feature a 144-bedroom hotel, offices and a bar as well as 182 flats ranging from £90,000 apartments to £475,000 penthouses.

The trend for residential towers stems from the government drive to encourage developers to build on brownfield sites rather than bulldozing the countryside. London in particular is set for a swathe of high-rise flats, such as the proposed 29-storey Ontario Tower in Canary Wharf.

Financial Times