Shankill community 'delighted' as new housing planned for derelict land

A local councillor is "delighted" after planning permission was granted to transform derelict land into a housing development.

An application for housing on the Lanark Way/Shankill Road corner site was approved at Belfast City Council's planning committee on Tuesday night, June 18. Work on the site is expected to start in late July.

It will deliver 53 new homes for the Shankill area, with 34 semi-detached and four detached homes, as well as 15 apartments. Of this housing, 12 properties will be social homes with the remainder affordable.

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Work that has been approved will also include the development of amenity space, bin and bicycle storage, landscaping, access, and car parking.

DUP councillor for the Court area, Nicola Verner, said the redevelopment of this derelict site will bring much needed opportunities for social housing locally. She said: "Delighted that planning permission has been granted for this major development.

"The site has been derelict for many years causing blight and misery for the community and local residents. This development will bring much needed housing opportunities locally; for those on social housing waiting lists and for those who want to buy their home.

"This should be seen as the start, and there is more to be done, but the work of BUILD along with others really does demonstrate the positive outcomes when we all work towards a shared vision.

"I would like to thank the developer for his commitment in making this happen and hope there will be more to follow soon."

BUILD Shankill is a community-led partnership approach to addressing issues around vacant and derelict land in the Greater Shankill area. The working group has identified 82 undeveloped, vacant, or derelict sites in the area either in public or private ownership.

The group is committed to community-led approaches to addressing these issues as well as campaigning for government backed intervention. Participation in BUILD Shankill is open to local community and voluntary organisations, residents, faith-based groups, local businesses, political representatives, and developers.

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