A new £2.2million 'Shared Future' housing scheme has been officially opened at Gowanvale in Banbridge.

The scheme, Phase III at Gowanvale Drive, Banbridge is owned and managed by the South Ulster Housing Association (SUHA), working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Fifteen new houses will be provided for social renting by September this year.

Visiting the completed scheme, Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said: "When I launched the New Housing Agenda, I made it clear that I wanted to provide housing solutions that would bring people together.

"This remains a priority and sits firmly at the heart of all my endeavours in housing. The events of recent weeks in Belfast demonstrate that much remains to be done and yet those scenes have galvanised my resolve to support more communities who want to embrace diversity and celebrate difference."

The 15 new homes are all built to the 'lifetime homes specification': six three-bedroom homes; four two-bedroom homes, four two-bedroom mobility bungalows, and one three-bedroom wheelchair bungalow.

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Two families on the waiting list that have mobility needs that can only be addressed with new build schemes, have been allocated the two homes in the new scheme which are built to address their specific mobility issues.

SUHA Director Sam Preston said: "As part of the research into the suitability of Gowanvale Drive to become A Shared Future neighbourhood, research among the neighbouring community showed a mixed community existed and that local residents would welcome members of 'all community backgrounds' to a new housing development in their area.

"An integrated primary school is also adjacent to the site, so these and other factors provided the right kind of framework for a Shared Future scheme," he added.

All the new homes will be built to SUHA standards for Level Access requirement, Secured by Design and Green Spaces and will include eco features such as solar panels and natural gas central heating as part of the lifetime homes commitment.

SUHA Chairman Sydney Wilson said: "There are almost 400 people in need of social housing support in the Banbridge area. We're an innovative Housing Association with a reputation for creative thinking.

"In the last year, we capitialised on the downturn in the housing market to strike good deals with a number of developers to buy off the shelf schemes and add 84 more houses to our portfolio of social housing available for rent.

"Similarly when we were approached by the Housing Executive to identify possible Shared Future schemes, we saw an opportunity to make a contribution to an initiative which will change the community landscape in years to come and deliver housing to those in need in an innovative way. Our board is very proud to be part of that," Mr Wilson added.

(PR/JM)