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Forty-five new social housing homes planned for former quarry site in Co Antrim

Writer's picture: Michelle Weir (Local Democracy Reporter)Michelle Weir (Local Democracy Reporter)
Proposed house designs for new development in County Antrim.

Proposed house designs for new development in County Antrim.


Forty-five new social housing homes are being planned for a section of the former Craighill Quarry outside Ballyclare.


A planning application has been submitted to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for a proposed development between Ballyeaston Road and Craighill Park.



The application has been lodged by an agent on behalf of Craighill Development Limited, Bangor, to develop the vacant 1.78 hectare site.


Location map and site plan (enlarged) for new social housing development in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

Location map and site plan (enlarged) for new social housing development in Ballyclare, County Antrim.


The proposed development will consist of four one-bedroom apartments, 21 two-bedroom houses, 11 three-bedroom and seven four-bedroom houses,  a five-bedroom house and a three-bedroom bungalow.


A design and access statement submitted with the application says:


“The proposed development is located to the south-west section of the former Craighill Quarry. There is a previous vehicular access located on the Ballyeaston Road frontage of the site.”



Private rear gardens will be provided with each of the dwellings. The apartments will have communal amenity space. Public open space is also provided centrally within the site, the statement notes.


“The scale of the proposed development is in keeping with the surrounding area, in particular, the dwellings within Craighill Park to the north of the site and along Ballyeaston Road. The scale, massing and proportions of the proposed development are also in keeping with the surroundings,” it continues.


Proposed bungalow and apartment block designs for new development in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

Proposed bungalow and apartment block designs for new development in Ballyclare, County Antrim.


The statement notes part of the site to the east lies within Craighill Quarry Geo-diversity Site of Local Nature Conservation  and Area of Constraint on Mineral Developments.


The report states the proposed development is within the settlement of Ballyclare and would provide “much-needed social housing, incorporating a mix of house types, based on those found in the immediate area”.


“The proposed development comprises all social housing as there is an identified need for social housing in the area,” it says. Five accessible properties are planned within the development with a further six which can be adapted to accessible accommodation, if required.



A letter from the Housing Executive submitted with the application says:


“The five-year projected social housing need for Ballyclare (2022-2027) has been assessed at 64. At September 2023, there were 159 first preference applicants on the housing stress waiting list with 46 allocations over the previous 12 months.”


During the 2023/24 financial year, the sum of £4.1m was invested in new social housing stock in Antrim and Newtownabbey. The Housing Executive says 1,229 new social housing units are needed in the borough during the next five years.



Housing Executive chief executive Grainia Long told councillors in October:  


“There is a good healthy programme of social housing. It is really important to see it continuing. We need to ensure there is a healthy pipeline of land coming forward.”


She went to say despite exceeding a five-year target locally, there is still a “really significant level of housing need” and “not enough social housing coming forward”.

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