Business

Radius appoints contractor to work on new Shankill housing project

Lord Mayor Frank McCoubrey joined John McLean, chief executive at Radius Housing, at the site of the new housing development set to bring 18 new homes to Hopewell Crescent. Photo: Matt Mackey/Presseye
Lord Mayor Frank McCoubrey joined John McLean, chief executive at Radius Housing, at the site of the new housing development set to bring 18 new homes to Hopewell Crescent. Photo: Matt Mackey/Presseye Lord Mayor Frank McCoubrey joined John McLean, chief executive at Radius Housing, at the site of the new housing development set to bring 18 new homes to Hopewell Crescent. Photo: Matt Mackey/Presseye

RADIUS Housing has appointed contractor MJ McBride in Draperstown to construct 18 new homes at Hopewell Crescent in Belfast's lower Shankill area.

The £3 million scheme is part of the Building Successful Communities Programme, a housing-led regeneration project led by the Department for Communities.

The 14 houses and 4 apartments at Hopewell Crescent will be developed on vacant land previously owned by the NI Housing Executive.

The project received planning permission from Belfast City Council in March, and with the appointment of the contractor, it is anticipated the new properties will be ready for occupation by spring 2022.

The Building Successful Communities Programme seeks to use housing-led regeneration as a catalyst for change in six areas characterised by significant social and economic deprivation.

Half of the cost of the development is being met by the Department for Communities, with the other half through private finance raised by Radius Housing, which last year secured a £105m investment from investors in the USA and UK to help support their ambitious ongoing development plans.

John McLean, chief executive at Radius Housing, said: “This is an important project which will not only provide high-quality new homes and address local housing need, but which will also assist with the wider physical and social regeneration of the area and the surrounding community.”

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said: “Lower Shankill and Brown Square is one of six areas included in the Building Successful Communities pilot programme and this scheme was identified as being a priority for the community.

“The project shows the power of collaborative working across government, Housing Executive, housing associations and local communities, and the scheme will act as a catalyst for the further regeneration of the area.”