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Plans have been submitted to convert the Stormont Hotel in Belfast into a care home and medical facility.

The proposal includes the construction of up to 84 retirement apartments.

The hotel is owned by the Hastings group but the application is from the firm Summerhill Retirement Developments.

The application states the development "seeks to provide a range of options for the ageing population and those in need of additional care facilities".

The care home part of the plan would involve converting the existing hotel into 97-bedroom unit and a 1,500 sq m diagnostic medical facility.

'Ambulance parking area'

Full design details for the apartment development have not been submitted yet with the applicants seeking only outline permission at this stage.

That part of the development would involve demolishing a number of houses on Castleview Road and Summerhill Parade.

The application states: "The re-use of these properties was not considered appropriate or feasible due to the proposed increase in density of the proposed retirement living villas appropriate to the context and location of the site."

It also claims the proposed development is predicted to generate less traffic than the current use as a hotel and conference venue.

It also states the "ample car parking" is proposed including an ambulance parking area at the turning circle of the hotel building.