A new social housing development with a children's centre has been approved for the Whiterock area in West Belfast.
Elected representatives at the Belfast City Council Planning Committee this week gave the green light for a mixed use development comprising 62 social housing units made up of a mix of houses and apartments.
The plan also involves a new children's centre, as well as new car parking, landscaping, and open space at the former Belfast Metropolitan College Campus, Whiterock Road, BT12.
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The applicant is Newpark Developments (NW) Ltd, Omagh Road, Dromore. Council officers recommended the plan for approval, and there were no objections from the statutory consultees. There were no third party representations.
Planning policy requires housing schemes of five units or more, or sites of 0.1 hectares or greater, to deliver a minimum 20 percent affordable housing. In this case, the application is for 100 percent social rented housing.
The site contains a former school and college. Currently on site, there are two buildings, one containing the Whiterock Children's Centre on the eastern portion of the site and the other building is a boxing club on the western portion.
There is a substantial steel fence enclosing the part of the site which had the old college. The surrounding character is mixed, consisting of residential, community infrastructure and a large cemetery on the opposite side of the Whiterock Road.
The council planning officer report on the application states: “The site is a suitable location for housing being within a generally residential area. The proposal would make effective use of previously developed land, i.e. the site of a former school/college building.
“The height, scale and massing of the proposed buildings are in keeping with the surrounding area. The proposal would provide dedicated in-curtilage and off-street parking, the site is in a highly sustainable location with access to public transport. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is supportive of the social housing proposals.”
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