January 2010

Social Housing Project Approved

Full Planning Consent has been granted for a new 6 storey social housing scheme of 16 three person two bedroom apartments at Stewart Street, Belfast for Clanmil Housing Association.

The scheme has been designed to achieve Lifetime Homes, Secured by Design & Level 3 of Code for Sustainable Homes accreditations, together with the requirements of the Housing Association and clients design guides.

The site was previously occupied by the Boiler House for a local district heating scheme for traditional housing in the Markets area of the City and whilst the site has been vacant for several years extensive contamination testing was necessary to determine appropriate remedial strategies.

Funded partly by DSD the project is due to commence on site in 2010 for completion in late 2011.

The design solution relates to the unusual 3 sided site configuration and the building addresses each principal aspect with an active facade. Parking and access areas together with the main circulation core are located on the railway side as passive acoustic planning and to accommodate wayleaves for key service routes traversing the site.

As the building is 6 storeys and adjacent to traditional 2 & 3 storey housing, the facade materials have been enhanced and selected to moderate the building scale whilst taking account of numerous taller buildings constructed and approved in the Riverside context at The Gasworks and Laganside Regeneration areas on either side.