Building at former Laundry 72-84 Bangor Road, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 7BY

This is a large, low-level, single-storey building dating from approximately 1910 to 1920, originally constructed as part of a larger laundry complex. It is located on the south side of a largely derelict industrial complex to the east of Bangor Road, on the northeastern outskirts of Newtownards. The building measures approximately 24 metres by 12 metres and is set into the ground, abbutting a larger structure to the west.

The exterior is finished with roughcast, and features a Belfast Truss roof covered in corrugated metal. The facade has few openings, with a few widely spaced windows on the north and south elevations, and smaller windows and a pedestrian entrance on the east elevation, accessed by a short flight of steps due to the sunken nature of the building. Unkempt greenery partially obscures the building on all sides.

The building’s design incorporates the Belfast Truss, a roof structure developed in the mid-19th century to meet the demands of the industrial revolution for efficient, lightweight, and long-span roofs. Early versions were developed by McTear & Co. beginning in 1866, followed by Anderson & Co. in 1886, who further refined the design, with the Mk II version launched in 1896. The term "Belfast truss" is now commonly used to describe timber bowstring trusses where the internal bracing members meet the top curved member.

The building’s former use was as a factory, and its current use is as an office. Map evidence suggests construction occurred after 1901. The building is of industrial archaeological interest and was surveyed as part of the Belfast Roof Truss survey.