Springtown homes and social hub plan

An application to develop land above Derrymore and opposite Hazebank was published this week by the developer Hartlands (NI) Ltd. and the Apex Housing Association.

Documents submitted with the application show the new scheme will comprise “social/affordable residential development and community centre with works to include new access to Springtown Road, upgrades to Springtown Road and junction of Hawthorne Drive to include two right hand turning lanes”.

The developer intends diverting a stream on the site through a culvert, demolishing an existing building on the lands, and developing “associated communal amenity spaces and landscaping and associated site works, road and car parking”.

Asked by Derry City and Strabane District Council’s planning team for its views the Housing Executive said the site was located in an area of growing need.

“The development proposal is located in an area of acute housing need within the Westbank Housing Area,” wrote NIHE’s Head of Place Shaping North.

“The housing need projection for the Westbank is 2,009 units over the period 2018-23. At March 2019, singles (983) and small families (690) are the largest household groups on the waiting list followed by elderly (201) and large families (98) applications.

“In terms of allocations, singles (246) receive the highest proportion of allocations followed by small families (402) and elderly (47). On this basis, I would confirm social housing need for the area that the site is located in,” wrote the NIHE.

In a design access statement submitted with the application Hamilton Architects indicate the scheme will include a community hub building, an outdoor gym/trim trail, a community outdoor theatre/venue and landscaped communal garden areas.