A new social housing terrace has been approved for North Belfast.
At the city council’s recent Planning Committee meeting, elected representatives unanimously approved 12 units of social housing at Alloa Street and Manor Street, which lie between Cliftonville Road and Crumlin Road.
The plan involves 10 general needs and two complex needs buildings with associated car parking, amenity space, hard and soft landscaping and new access arrangements from Alloa Street. The applicant is Clanmil Developments Limited, of Northern Whig House, Belfast.
The site is situated at the junction of Alloa Street and Manor Street, and comprises an undeveloped 0.3 hectare parcel of land. It was previously developed for residential use but the dwellings were demolished, and the site cleared in phases between 2007 and 2015.
The land within the site is predominantly grassed over and slopes down from its highest point at the junction of Alloa Street and Manor Street towards the north east.
Two single storey complex needs dwellings are proposed to front onto Manor Street and a terrace of 10 general needs dwellings are arranged to front onto the proposed new carriageway within the site. The general needs dwellings comprise a mix of two-and-a-half storey three-bedroom units and two storey two-bedroom units.
The development was recommended by council officers. The planning report states: “The proposed development will not adversely impact the character and appearance of the surrounding area. It is considered to be sympathetic in its built form, scale, massing and appearance with the surrounding area and neighbouring properties.
“It is considered that the proposal will not raise any unacceptable issues in relation to residential amenity including overshadowing, loss of light and overlooking.”
The report states that a request by the Stormont Department for Instructure Roads division for 3 year travel cards for each unit “would not be justified in this case.” The council did however state the developer’s offer of a one year membership of Belfast Bikes bike for each unit was “reasonable”.
There were no objections to the application by any of the statutory agencies or any locals received by the council. A letter of support from the Lower Oldpark Community Association was submitted by the applicant as part of the proposal.
