Loftlines has appointed Neil Allen as General Manager of its Build-to-Rent homes at the new mixed-tenure neighbourhood in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
Originally from Belfast, Neil brings a decade of operations and customer experience and will lead the day-to-day running of Loftlines – the first development of its kind in the city – overseeing the on-site team, resident services, leasing support and local partnerships.
He joins Loftlines from a senior role running a large co-working centre in Belfast, where he led teams, managed budgets and worked closely with partners to deliver a strong day-to-day experience. He has also held senior community and operations positions in innovation and flexible workspace organisations, working across large, multi-building schemes.
Loftlines comprises 627 Build-to-Rent homes in Titanic Quarter and is expected to welcome its first residents in summer 2026. Designed for renters, the pet-friendly development offers furnished and unfurnished homes with broadband included as standard alongside exceptional amenities including co-working spaces, a gym, private dining rooms, lounges and landscaped roof terraces, all of which will be managed by Neil and his dedicated on-site team.
Neil Allen, General Manager at Loftlines, said:
“Loftlines is bringing something genuinely new to Belfast’s rental market. The city has changed greatly in recent years and there is a growing appetite for options that allow people to rent long term but still feel part of a real community. As a Belfast native, I am deeply passionate about being part of something that contributes to the city’s positive future, I’m proud to call it home and hope others can also build a sense of belonging.
“From New York to Leeds and Glasgow, this style of rental living has become first choice for people who want flexibility without giving up a sense of stability or belonging. Loftlines brings that approach to Belfast at a time when the city is ready for modern ways of living, and I am proud to be part of the team helping to shape it.”
Loftlines is funded by Legal & General (L&G), which is investing £150 million in the Build-to-Rent homes as part of a wider £175 million mixed-tenure residential scheme delivered in partnership with Watkin Jones, Lacuna Developments and Clanmil Housing Association.
James Hart, Senior Asset Manager at L&G said:
“Loftlines represents an exciting step forward for professionally managed rental housing in Northern Ireland. The Build-to-Rent model aims to challenge the inconveniences of renting and giving renters a professionally managed, flexible and convenient choice in excellent city centre locations where they can put down roots for as long as they like.
“Appointing an experienced General Manager at this stage is an important milestone for the development. Neil’s background in operations, customer experience and community-building makes him the right person to lead the day-to-day life of the building and foster a new community within Titanic Quarter. We look forward to seeing Loftlines become a vibrant new neighbourhood for Belfast.”
Neil will lead the on-site team at Loftlines, working as part of urbanbubble, a specialist Build-to-Rent operator known for delivering professionally managed rental communities across the UK.
Outside his day-to-day role, Neil is a trustee of Beyond Skin, a Belfast-based social enterprise that uses music to support peace-building, and an Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Developers Conference.
For more information on Belfast’s new waterside neighbourhood, visit www.loftlines.com and register to be the first to receive updates.
