A GROUP campaigning for more housing in Belfast have met with political representatives to further their plans to develop 900 homes on the former Mackies site.

Last week a London-based architect, Matthew Lloyd, won an urban design competition held by Take Back the City with designs to build 900 homes at the former Mackies site in West Belfast.

Now the group have met with West Belfast MP Paul Maskey, North Belfast MP John Finucane and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. 

Marissa McMahon from Take Back the City said: “Everything was very positive and Paul Maskey said let’s work together in the future. The housing needs the planning permission and then the masterplan needs to be put in place. We’re hoping to see the planning permission in over the next few weeks and we will be meeting more MLAs over the coming few weeks.”

PLANS: The 900 homes are to be built on the former Mackies site off Springfield Road
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PLANS: The 900 homes are to be built on the former Mackies site off Springfield Road

Laura Ryan has been on a housing waiting list for eight years and has three children. Currently in a single let property she said she has been put in two hostels and two single lets since she joined the list eight years ago. Laura said feedback from politicians had been positive and they had heard back from every representative they have contacted.

“We have an upcoming meeting with SDLP MP Claire Hanna and we have even heard back from the DUP and even Jim Allister! We are due to have another full meeting with Sinn Féin this September.”

VISION: Work is ongoing on the Greenway which will run through the site of the new homes
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VISION: Work is ongoing on the Greenway which will run through the site of the new homes

Marissa said getting political support was necessary to helping bring their plans to life and to help access planners for the site.

“We are hoping to get political support behind our campaign and are hoping that political support will help us begin meetings with planners and facilitate us in that.

“The architect Matthew Lloyd was over last week looking at the site and he is absolutely on board with the plans. He was saying he wants to dive right into work and he couldn’t believe how big the site was. We have 25 acres here and to not build housing on the site would be a waste.

“Our ideal plan will see businesses and cafés being built by the homes with shops and other amenities including access to the greenway as well as wildflower gardens and an urban farm.”

Marissa continued: “We want to build as many social homes as possible and to create an area of mixed income housing where everyone lives together integrated and side by side but we are aware there is a certain percentage which have to be designated as social and affordable but we want to ensure they are social and can house people who have been on the housing lists for years.

“It’s families like Laura’s who have been helping to design these new homes as they don’t want to be stuck in an area with no infrastructure and they want to have shops, cafés and access to the greenway from their homes.

“It’s great to see politicians working with us on this and addressing the urgent housing needs we have in this city.”

Paul Maskey MP said: “I had an excellent meeting with PPR on housing need and housing rights across the city.  There have been far too many on the waiting lists for housing for far too long.”