Developments

Delivering new homes to the Grove area.

We continue to work with planners, NI Water, our design team, and local representative to bring much needed new homes to North Belfast.

Building new homes can sometimes present unexpected challenges, and our development of 31 new Passive homes on the former Old Grove School site has been no different.

During the early stages of site preparation, the architects and engineers identified an issue with the scheme layout, and it was too close to the sewer line that runs across the site. Unfortunately, the scheme could not have progressed to the next stage, which was construction, without first revising the layout and preventing significant costs and delays being incurred when they started the build. As a result of these changes, revised plans were resubmitted to the planning authority for approval. This also included reconsulting occupational therapists who are involved in the design approvals for the disabled bungalows. They were very helpful and approved the changes swiftly.

Current Progress and Next Steps

·      Planning Approval
We are pleased to have approval of the updated site layout from Belfast City Council planners. We are thankful to local elected representatives for their help.

·      Final Project Approval
The project will now be submitted to the Development Programme Group (DPG) for final approval once we have recalculated the cost of the changes following design and set back.

Construction Phase
Following DPG approval and the appointment of a contractor, work on site will begin, and we look forward to bringing you an update on the planned timetable very soon!

While these unforeseen issues have caused delays, making the necessary changes now will ensure that these 31 new homes are safe, energy-efficient, and built to a high standard for the benefit of the local community, of which we thank for their continued support!