Building strong homes and communities in Ballymena

Radius Housing, Choice and Triangle Housing Association are all developing or managing shared housing developments in the Ballymena area, and the new

group will connect local people and new tenants with key stakeholders, including community and statutory organisations.

The group will oversee the delivery of the Good Relations Plans for each Housing Association, which will engage citizens to design, deliver and develop programmes to be an integral part of the local community

The Department for Communities aims to deliver 200 shared housing units each year through the ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing programme. Shared status is awarded when allocations to the scheme have resulted in one community not being in the dominance of more than 70%. It brings an opportunity where people from diverse backgrounds can choose to live in a shared neighbourhood.The Shared Housing projects in Ballymena include Choice’s Nursery Close, which was an investment of £2.3m, Triangle Housing’s new developments at Galgorm Road, Regents Park and Broadway Avenue totalling an investment of £8m, and Radius Housing’s 135 home project at the former St Patrick’s Barracks site, where construction of the £26m development is due to begin in 2022.

Speaking at the first meeting, Grainne Mullin, Radius Housing, said “This is an exciting partnership between Radius, Choice and Triangle Housing Association, which will develop opportunities in the Ballymena area. By working in partnership we are stronger and can ensure that the new shared housing developments become an integral part of the local community and play a role in bringing positive change to the Ballymena area.”

Richard Mealey, Choice Housing, added: “We are confident that this collaboration will help us to build on the

significant Good Relations work we have already delivered within Ballymena and the surrounding community to date,  and that it will allow us to have an even greater impact within this community.”

Maurice Millar, Triangle Housing, said, “Triangle looks forward to building strong and mutually beneficial partnerships with Choice and Radius Housing, via the Local Advisory Group.