THE long-awaited redevelopment of a row of historic cottages in West Belfast has been hailed by the local community.
The investment by the Department for Communities saw the the iconic Woodbourne Cottages and the area immediately around it upgraded and improved.
A visit by Colum Boyle, DfC Permanent Secretary, marked the official opening on Tuesday.
Renee Crawford from the Lenadoon Community Forum said: "The most important part was to try and realign the road away from the front of the cottages.
Renee Crawford
"These are the last habitable cottages in Belfast. They were built around 1819 to 1820
"The most important thing was to create a defensible space in front of the cottages that moved the road and traffic away to preserve them, but also in relation to the shops, to ensure additional car parking space was created so that people come into the shops.
"The area before was just a big tarmac square. It has been designed to ensure people can come and go to the shops.
"Most importantly, each of the cottages now have their own private driveway and they are away from the road.
"Today, we remember Maureen Scholly and Gerry Dunlop who dedicated their time to make this area better for the residents of the Woodbourne Cottages and unfortunately they didn't live to see this redevelopment.
"They always kept pushing for the funding to ensure this happened. The transformation of the area is just absolutely fantastic."
Speaking at the launch, West Belfast MLA Órlaithí Flynn said: "It is a pleasure to stand here today and mark the completion of the Woodbourne Environmental Improvement Scheme for the lower Suffolk Road, an ambitious project which began in November 2024 and has now been successfully delivered for the benefit of our entire community.
"This scheme has transformed the areas of Glenview, Woodbourne, and the bottom of the Suffolk Road through the installation of new kerbs and footpaths, upgraded street lighting, enhanced parking bays and access areas, and high-quality hard and soft landscaping.
"What we see around us today is not just physical improvement—it is a reflection of community determination, partnership, and pride.
"This project is a shining example of what can be achieved when government, contractors, community organisations, local businesses, and residents come together with a shared vision. We built a strong and positive working relationship with the contractors, who were responsive to local needs and delivered the work to a high standard.
"Today we are not just marking the completion of a project—we are celebrating a renewed sense of opportunity and community pride.
"Thank you to everyone who made this possible, and I wish all residents and businesses every success and happiness in these transformed surroundings."
