Petrol Station/ Spar Store Opens
24.3.22
The new petrol station/ Spar retail unit at the junction of Cliftonpark Avenue and Crumlin Road opened its doors to the public on 13th January 2022.
The scheme involved a £3.5 million investment by Landscape Enterprises, headed by Gavin Walls.
Thirty new, permanent, jobs have been generated by the new facility which includes a deli, Nugelato ice cream parlour and other services. Jobs created cover retail management and assistant roles
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) has supported this major commercial development on the front of the Crumlin Road since the plans were first made available by Landscape Enterprises in 2015. It has been a long and difficult road to get to this stage and LOCA retains substantial concerns about how the whole process was managed by public bodies. However, LOCA also sees the new development as a very important part of the physical and economic regeneration of Lower Oldpark neighbourhood and the Crumlin Road. Hopefully, it will encourage more local investment.
After completion of the new houses currently being built behind the petrol station, the former shop/ petrol station at Landscape Terrace will be demolished and four new private homes built by the same developer on the site.
Social Housing Scheme Gets Planning Approval
24.3.22
Planning approval for a Lower Oldpark social housing scheme was given by Belfast City Council Planning Committee on 18th January 2022.
The scheme involves the development of 10 houses and two bungalows on the green space site running along Manor Street, down Alloa Street and along the former Annalee Court. The developer is Clanmil Housing. There are a couple of issues still be dealt with but Clanmil Housing has advised Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) that Clanmil hopes that an appointed contractor will be on site by spring 2022.
LOCA welcomes this news and views the new housing development as a very important part of the long-delayed regeneration of Lower Oldpark. The scheme was significantly delayed by a number of factors, not least sewer infrastructure issues raised by Northern Ireland Water (NIW). LOCA worked closely with NIW and Clanmil in addressing the sewer infrastructure issues.
LOCA Speaks Up On Vacant Sites Issue
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) has highlighted the need for Belfast City Council (BCC) to take action on the problem of the many vacant, undeveloped sites across the Greater Shankill, including the Lower Oldpark neighbourhood.
LOCA has called on the City Council to recognise and address this major issue in the Belfast Agenda plan which it is currently working on updating.
LOCA made the call on 7th September 2021 during a BCC online consultation meeting on what is going be included in an updated Belfast Agenda plan covering the period 2022 to 2026.
This consultation was for North Belfast but separate meetings are planned for other parts of Belfast including West Belfast which a large part of the Greater Shankill falls into.
The Belfast Agenda is a plan for how BCC hopes to improve the city for its citizens and how these improvements will be achieved.
BCC failed to address the issue of the large number of vacant sites in the Greater Shankill, and other parts of Belfast, when it first prepared a Belfast Agenda plan back in 2017.
Information that has become available through the BUILD Shankill initiative, which LOCA plays a role in, tells us that there are now over 80 vacant sites across the Greater Shankill.
This means that vacant sites are a major problem for Greater Shankill neighbourhoods and for its people.
It is important that everyone is aware of this problem and for as many people as possible to make the case to BCC for the updated Belfast Agenda covering the period 2022 to 2026 to tackle the vacant sites issue in a meaningful way.
BCC will be holding a further online consultation meeting about the Belfast Agenda 2022 to 2026 for West Belfast, which includes a large part of the Greater Shankill, on Thursday 9th September 2012 ,from 10.00am to 12.30pm. The consultation is called Continuing the Conversation. You can register by following the link
https://yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/hub-page/reviewba
For more information on the Belfast Agenda follow the link below.
https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/belfastagenda
LOCA Disappointed At Planning Decision
25.8.21
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) is disappointed at the decision of Belfast City Council Planning Committee to approve a planning application by NB Housing to develop 12 social houses and two flats on the vacant site at 197-203 Crumlin Road.
In March 2020, Belfast City Council Planning Department received a planning application from NB Housing for the development of 9 two-bedroom houses, 3 three-bedroom houses and 2 one-bedroom apartments.
Before a planning application was submitted, Lower Oldpark Community Association asked NB Housing to change the number of three-bedroom houses to eight, but it did not agree on the grounds of a lack of support from the NIHE.
When LOCA looked at the design of the new development, it felt that the number of parking spaces to be provided (14 spaces) wouldn’t be enough for the new residents and their visitors.
LOCA also felt that the shortage of parking provision in the new development would increase the pressure on parking space in Century Street, Albertville Drive and Rosewood Street. A number of residents told LOCA about existing parking pressures and problems in these streets.
LOCA submitted three documents to the Council’s Planning Department in response to the planning application. These documents set out expected parking problems linked to the scheme and the most recent document included photos showing the high level of parking in the area even before the new development is complete and during the Coronavirus pandemic.
LOCA also highlighted that the portion of the development site fronting onto the Crumlin Road was designated in the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan as ‘Shopping/ Commercial Area On Arterial Routes’. NB Housing’s plans for the site don’t include any shops or commercial units.
The planning application for the 14 residential units on the site at 197-203 Crumlin Road went before Belfast City Council Planning Committee on the evening of Tuesday 10thAugust 2021.
A LOCA representative made a brief presentation to the Committee to highlight the parking issues.
Despite this and the three written submissions, the Committee approved the planning application.
The Council had consulted on the planning application with a number of public bodies including the Department for Infrastructure (Roads).
This means that the development will be going ahead. LOCA regrets that its efforts have not result in a better development but hopes that the parking problems it has predicted for existing and new residents won’t happen when the development is complete.
LOCA also regrets that the low number of three-bedroom houses being provided will further weaken the long-term future of this part of the Crumlin Road.
NIHE Decision On Bonfire Site Still Awaited
30.7.21
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) continues to await a decision by the Housing Executive (NIHE) on the type of housing development that can take place on the ‘Bonfire Site’ at Mountview Street.
In late 2019, the NIHE began working on an economic appraisal. This involves it looking at possible future uses of the site and deciding on the best. LOCA proposed putting the site
on the open market for sale and development with family, owner-occupier homes. The NIHE has raised issues with this approach and LOCA has addressed these at the highest level within the NIHE.
Between 25 and 30 family homes could be built on the site. These would help to replace the 37 empty houses demolished by the NIHE about 15 years ago.
Social Housing Scheme Still At Risk From NI Water
30.7.21
The development of new social houses in Lower Oldpark remains at risk of being blocked by NI Water.
A planning application for twelve new homes in Alloa Street and Manor Street was submitted to Belfast City Council by Clanmil Housing in October 2020.
As part of the planning process, NI Water was consulted on the proposals and it raised concerns over Clanmil’s proposed connections to the existing foul and surface water sewers.
LOCA and Clanmil have been in discussions with NI Water about the issues. LOCA is now more hopeful that an engineering solution will be found to address NI Waters concerns. This is essential if the scheme is to receive planning approval.
LOCA learnt that the Housing Executive would support this social housing scheme in March 2018. Eighteen months later, a planning application was submitted and approximately nine months later planning permission is still awaited.
LOCA Tells Planners About Albertville/ Century ParkinG Issue
29.7.21
In March 2020, NB Housing submitted a planning application to Belfast City Council (BCC) to develop 12 new social houses and two apartments on the vacant site bounded by Albertville Drive, Century Street and Crumlin Road. An amended application was submitted in February 2021.
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) submitted responses to these applications highlighting parking problems that would be created by the development.
In May 2021, the developer submitted a Crumlin Road Car Parking Survey report. The fieldwork for the survey was carried out in early September 2020. LOCA felt that the survey results didn’t give an accurate picture of the level of car parking in the area
in normal times.
LOCA took photos of car parking in Albertville Drive, Century Street and Rosewood Street on 30th June and 1stJuly 2021. These images show a much higher level of parking than the level shown in the Car Parking Survey report submitted by NB Housing.
LOCA also spoke to local residents who highlighted the parking problems that exist now, even before any development takes place. They talked about the high demand for parking spaces from residents and their visitors, local business employees and customers as well as service provider employees and users. They also spoke about streets blocked due to parking on both sides, pedestrians forced onto the road by vehicles parked on footpaths, damage to vehicles and disputes over parking.
In three documents it sent to BCC Planning, LOCA highlighted the low number of parking spaces in the plans for the 14 new residential units. A total of 14 places are provided, seven in Century Street and seven in Albertville Drive. No driveway or layby parking provision is made, front or rear, for residents of the planned properties on the Crumlin Road. If they park on the Crumlin Road, they will have to move their vehicles between 7.00am and 9.30am when the bus lane operates.
LOCA is concerned that the proposed development will create an even heavier demand for parking spaces in Century Street, Albertville Drive and Rosewood Street.
LOCA Awaits Action On Alley Gates
29.7.21
Since September 2020, Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) has been trying to secure action to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.
Earlier this year, Radius Housing introduced measures to try and reduce the problem near its properties at the Avoca Street/ Alloa Street junction.
LOCA has been less successful in getting the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) to respond to the problem. LOCA prepared and sent the NIHE a report on the problem and potential responses in November 2020. LOCA also highlighted the issue on a number of occasions to the NIHE since then.
On 13th April 2021, LOCA took part in a walkabout with NIHE officers looking at potential locations for the installation of wrought iron alley gates by the NIHE in Lower Oldpark.
LOCA stills awaits details of any action the NIHE plans to take.
New Private Affordable Houses Sold
29.7.21
Five new Lower Oldpark affordable owner-occupier houses have been completed and sold.
The new housing development was finished almost five years after planning approval was obtained in May 2016 and about seven years after the plans were drawn up.
The cost of the new homes was kept at a more affordable level through the provision of Housing Development Grant by the Department for Communities.
Development of the new housing by Apex Housing has been much delayed. The main reason is that it took approximately three years for Housing Development Grant to be developed and approved by the Department for Communities and the Department of Finance. This is despite the fact that no legislation was required.
Lower Oldpark Community Association welcomes the completion of the five new homes and extends a warm welcome to the new occupants and members of the Lower Oldpark community.
Building Work On New Development Starts
29.7.21
Work has started on the development of a new Spar retail unit, new petrol station and six new homes at the Cliftonpark Avenue/ Crumlin Road junction.
The building contractor for the petrol station/ retail unit, Cleary Contracts, went on site in late April 2021. This part of the development is expected to be completed by January 2022.
Lorcan Homes is the building contractor for the development of six new private homes on the Cliftonpark Avenue site at the rear of the new petrol station/ retail unit. This contractor went on site in late May 2021 and this work is also programmed to finish in January 2022.
The developer of the new petrol station, retail unit and the new homes is Landscape Enterprises Ltd which owns the existing petrol station and Spar at Landscape Terrace.
When the new Spar and petrol station are completed, the existing shop and petrol station at Landscape Terrace will be demolished and four new private homes built by the same developer on the site.
Lower Oldpark Community Association understands that the new petrol station/ retail unit involves an investment of £3.5 million by Landscape Enterprises Ltd and the creation of 30 permanent new jobs in the petrol station/ retail unit.
Lower Oldpark Social Housing Scheme At Risk
19.2.21
Approval of the planning application for the development of 12 social homes in Lower Oldpark neighbourhood is at risk following consultation with NI Water.
The proposed housing development would be built on the open green space that runs along Manor Street, down Alloa Street and into the former Annalee Court behind 152 to 162 Manor Street.
Clanmil Housing submitted the planning application for ten houses and two bungalows in October 2020 following a community consultation process in August and September.
Belfast City Council Planning carried out a neighbour consultation process at the end of October 2020 and has been consulting with a number of organisations e.g. Roads Service and NI Water.
NI Water has raised concerns about the connections that Clanmil Housing is proposing to make to the existing surface water and foul water sewers in the area.
Lower Oldpark Community Association is working with Clanmil Housing to try and ensure that the issues are sorted out. If this doesn’t happen, the new housing development will not take place.
It would also be unlikely that there would be any new housing development on the site or on the open green space at the peace wall in the near future. This would be a major blow to ongoing efforts to regenerate the Lower Oldpark neighbourhood.
Bonfire Site Development
19.2.21
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) is inviting residents’ views on the future of the site bounded by the Oldpark Road peace wall, Mountview Street, Manor Drive and Manor Street. This area of open space is sometimes known as the Bonfire Site.
In the October 2020 issue the newsletter Housing News Lower Oldpark, LOCA told residents that it had been in discussions with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) about the development of three-bedroom owner-occupier housing, including affordable housing, on the site. LOCA also invited feedback.
Before any development can take place, the NIHE has to complete an economic appraisal and get internal approval for this. An economic appraisal involves looking at possible future site uses and deciding on the best. Given the difficulty of getting NIHE support for a social housing scheme and the need for new housing to regenerate Lower Oldpark, LOCA proposed putting the site on the open market for sale and development with family, owner-occupier homes. There is the potential for bungalows on the site but this would have to be agreed with the appointed developer.
It is likely that between 25 and 30 new homes could be built on the site. This would be an important part of the regeneration of the Lower Oldpark neighbourhood. These new houses would replace the 37 houses in Mountview Court, Beechpark Street and Beechnut Place demolished by the Housing Executive about 15 years ago.
You can provide feedback in the following ways:
· Email: loweroldparkhousing@gmail.com.
· Facebook: @loweroldparkhousing.
· Write your comments on a piece of paper and leave it down to the Centre in Avoca Street. If there is nobody there, put it in the letter box.
Affordable Housing Scheme Nearing Completion
18.2.21
A Lower Oldpark affordable housing scheme is nearing completion, almost five years after planning approval was obtained in May 2016.
The five 3-bedroom homes at the junction of Oldpark Road and Cliftonpark Avenue are for sale for owner-occupation under the Fairshare equity sharing scheme.
The Fairshare scheme is similar to Co-ownership. You buy a share in the house and pay rent on the rest. Over time, you can buy additional shares. With Fairshare, however, you have to put down a deposit.
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) will welcome completion of this small and long awaited housing development.
It is hoped that building work by the contractor will be completed by mid- March 2021.
The cost of the new homes has been kept at a more affordable level through the provision of Housing Development Grant by the Department for Communities.
Development of the new housing by Apex Housing has been much delayed. The main reason is that it took approximately three years for Housing Development Grant to be developed and approved by the Department for Communities and the Department of Finance. This is despite the fact that no legislation was required.
Courts’ Project Work Programme Released
18.2.21
Work on the long awaited Lower Oldpark Courts’ Environmental Improvement Scheme started on Monday 8th February 2021.
The first court benefiting from the scheme is Liffey Court. However, the contractor, Lagan Construction, started with the hard standings in Shannon Street beside the entrance to Liffey Court. They will then move into Liffey Court.
Start and finish dates for work in all seven courts (Bandon Court/ Bann Court/ Foyle Court/ Liffey Court/ Manor Court/ Shannon Court and 1-11 Shannon Street/ Southport Court) were made available to Lower Oldpark Community Association by the Department for Communities on 17.2.21. These are set out below:
Court Estimated Duration Estimated Start Estimated Finish
Liffey Court 50 days Wed 10/02/21 Wed 28/04/21
Bann Court 43 days Fri 19/02/21 Wed 28/04/21
Southport Court 93 days Wed 14/04/21 Mon 30/08/21
Foyle Court 70 days Tue 20/04/21 Tue 03/08/21
Bandon Court 72 days Tue 10/08/21 Wed 17/11/21
Shannon Court 131 days Tue 16/03/21 Thu 30/09/21
Manor Court 50 days Fri 10/09/21 Thu 18/11/21
The scheme involves the removal of existing hard surfaces and planted areas in each court and their replacement with new shared pedestrian/ vehicle surfaces. Also, new pedestrian walkways will ensure that there is wheelchair access to all homes. There will also be car parking areas, occasional trees and new street lighting.
Lagan Construction, will provide residents with relevant information about the work in their court before it begins.:
For further information, contact Carol Curran at the Department for Communities (Building Successful Communities) on 028 9051 5004.
New Petrol Station To Start
18.2.21
Final plans are being prepared for the development of a new petrol station, new Spar retail unit and ten new three-bedroom private homes at the Cliftonpark Avenue/ Crumlin Road/ Landscape Terrace junction.
The developer is Landscape Enterprises Ltd which owns the existing petrol station and Spar at Landscape Terrace.
The sale of the open green space site by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to Landscape Enterprises, which is headed by Gavan Walls, went ahead in early November 2020.
Work on the petrol station/ retail unit and the six new private homes in Cliftonpark Avenue (behind the new petrol station) will begin on 12thApril 2021.
The new houses are expected to be completed in November 2021. The new petrol station/ retail unit is expected to be opened in January 2022.
When these are finished, the developer will demolish the existing petrol station/ retail unit and build four new private homes on the site.
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) understands that the scheme involves an investment of £3.5 million by Landscape Enterprises Ltd and the creation of 30 permanent new jobs in the petrol station/ retail unit.