A housing association has lodged a planning application with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for 140 new homes on the site of the former St Patrick’s Barracks in Ballymena.
The £20m development by Radius Housing has been proposed at Demesne Avenue on the site which was left vacant by the Royal Irish Regiment.
The proposed new housing forms a key part of the wider St Patrick’s Barracks “masterplan”.
Half of the housing cost will be funded by the Department for Communities and the remainder through private finance raised by Radius.
The scheme is part of the NI Executive’s draft Programme for Government Shared Housing Programme ‘Housing for All’.
It is expected to consist of two, three and four bedroom houses, three-bedroom bungalows for wheelchair access and complex needs and apartments.
Commenting on the project previously, Anita Conway, Director of Development at Radius Housing, said: “Radius Housing is delighted to be involved in this large housing led strategic project which we believe will positively benefit the Ballymena community and beyond.”
Communities Minister Carál Ni Chulín added: “We are aiming with the regeneration of the former St Patrick’s Barracks site in Ballymena to create a place which is truly people-orientated and can generate economic and social benefits for the wider area.
“The creation of new social and affordable homes is a significant and key part of our plans.
“By creating homes where people are able to thrive, we will breathe new life into the area for the benefit of everyone.”
This is the latest development project for Radius Housing, which manages more than 13,000 homes in Northern Ireland and aims to construct more than 400 new social and affordable homes every year.
Radius provides sheltered housing for the over 55s and general needs housing for families and single people.
A new £25m leisure centre will also be located at the former St Patrick’s Barracks site.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council says that a key part of this development is the “integration of the new leisure centre within the site, as somewhere for people to use, build community links and form a very important link to the town centre”.
The centre will accommodate a 25-metre swimming pool, a toddler pool, a learner pool and a main hall, kids’ facilities, a café, a gym, a spin studio, multi-purpose studio, specialist studio and a spa.
A £26m innovation centre is also a key part of the plan for the regeneration of the former St Patrick’s Barracks site.
