RPP Architects Ltd are pleased to deliver planning approval in record timescales for one of Belfast’s largest residential developments in recent years.
The new residential led mixed-use urban village will comprise in excess of 650 dwellings (549 social & 104 affordable homes) and is to be delivered in partnership with Apex Housing and Braidwater Homes. The proposal will also provide two children’s care homes, neighbourhood retail centre, hotel, office and business space, a community building and children’s play areas.
RPP Architects have been involved in the project since 2016 and were appointed by Braidwater Homes in 2019 to seek planning approval for this major development. Planning was submitted in April 2020 following intensive pre application discussions with Belfast City Council Planning and an extensive public consultation process in late 2019.
The vision for Glenmona is to create a new mixed-use urban village with a mix of social and affordable housing, along with a mix of commercial and community facilities with extensive public transport linkages. The overall concept aims to create a new development that is residential-led and aligned to community needs with a range of complementary land uses including employment, retail and other resources to help form a successful vibrant and sustainable living environment.
The concept masterplan established general principles for development of a hierarchy of zoning and density along with a ‘green heart’ landscape strategy. Provision of attractive and practical open spaces for play areas, together with formal/ informal spaces for general recreation for all was important. The development provides for a local neighbourhood, hotel and community facilities in line with the previous outline planning approval. During the pre application process the masterplan concept evolved creating a vibrant residential core aspect to the urban village centre with outlying distinct housing zones, linked by a network of quality landscaped spaces and streets. Each housing zone is to have its own ‘sense of place’, one that integrates within the larger development community and beyond.
New housing was orientated to overlook green spaces and streets. Houses will face and passively survey communal green spaces. Dwellings will overlook the new tree-lined avenues and gables are designed with large hallway/living room windows so that they can, in effect, steward the open areas along the edge of these. Where necessary, houses are aligned to provide strong street frontages with three storey apartments providing accent to particular street elevations and key nodes / vistas.
The layout of back-to-back housing was considered as a solution to the challenging site typography and to avail of aspect and site orientation. This also resulted in provision of good private amenity spaces and variety to the type of dwelling used, materials and character.
Bespoke designs were prepared for the integral two children’s homes as well as the landmark 60+ bed hotel, community centre, and the commercial & employment buildings for office and business use.
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