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Radius Housing has broken ground on the first phase of a landmark new housing development at Hannahstown, West Belfast. The £43m investment will deliver 140 high-quality homes as the first phase of a wider 260-home masterplan, located adjacent to an earlier phase delivered by Radius Housing in partnership with Choice Housing. Planning approval for the scheme was secured in June 2024 and will provide a diverse mix of general needs, wheelchair- accessible and elderly-living apartments and houses. A key feature of the scheme will be the creation of a green corridor running through the site, incorporating community amenity space alongside measures to enhance biodiversity and protect existing environmental assets. All homes will be constructed to EPC A rating standards and enhanced Fabric Energy Efficiency Standards, with the development supported through £22.6m in grant funding and £20.4m in private investment. Jordan Allingham, Director of project contractor EH Allingham (EHA), said, “Hannahstown is a significant investment in the future of West Belfast, and our team is committed to delivering high-quality, energy-efficient homes that will serve the community. “This development reflects EHA Group’s commitment to high standards in construction, sustainability and social value. Throughout the project, we will work closely with Radius Housing, local stakeholders and our supply chain to ensure quality and safety targets are achieved, while creating employment opportunities and supporting the local economy. Radius Housing was recently awarded the Platinum Tenant Participation Accreditation by Supporting Communities. It has also announced plans for a new £5.2m social housing development at Drumgullion, Newry, delivering 21 high-quality homes, while work is underway on the £5m redevelopment of Belfast Foyer with partner Simon Community. www.radiushousing.org Work starts on £43m Hannahstown development
L-R: Robert Clements and Nathan Bolton, NIHE, Mrs Irvine, tenant, Jonathan Martindale, Phoenix Energy, and John McClean, H&A Mechanical Services.
NI homes pilot hybrid heating
A new hybrid heating programme, aimed at supporting the decarbonisation of home heating across Northern Ireland, has been launched by Phoenix Energy and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) Low Carbon Programme. The initiative will see a selection of Belfast homes upgraded with a combination of energy efficiency improvements and low- carbon heating technology. The programme has retrofitted 15 NIHE properties using a ‘fabric- first’ approach, including cavity wall and loft insulation, alongside upgraded windows and doors to improve overall energy efficiency. Alongside these measures, participating homes will receive a new hybrid heating system that combines an air-source heat pump with an efficient gas boiler. Installations are completed by local company H&A Mechanical Services, with a two-year monitoring period to assess system performance. Phoenix Energy will closely monitor 10 participating properties - including eight with hybrid systems and two with gas-only systems acting as a comparator - to evaluate carbon savings, running costs and overall benefits for households. The programme will generate valuable insights to help inform future heating policy and support NI’s transition to a lower-carbon energy system. Nathan Bolton, Assistant Director of Project Delivery at the Housing Executive, said, “This project is part of a wider £14m investment in our Low Carbon Programme, aimed at cutting carbon emissions in our tenants’ homes and tackling fuel poverty.” John McLean, Maintenance Manager at H&A Mechanical Services, said, “The project demonstrates how practical, well-installed solutions can play a role in reducing emissions while maintaining reliable heating for households.” www.phoenixenergyni.com
L-R: John McLean, Radius Housing, Edward Allingham and Jordan Allingham, EHA Group, and Anita Conway, Radius Housing.
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