Official Key Handover of Pond Park (August 2009)

August 19th marked the Official Key Handover of Pond Park in Lisburn, the latest addition by Oaklee Housing Association in providing social and affordable housing in Northern Ireland.

Pond Park is made up of 112 3-bedroom properties situated in a popular residential area in the North of Lisburn, an area in which Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) have identified as having unmet housing need. Oaklee Housing Association have worked closely with the NIHE to introduce Pond Park as part of the 'Shared New Build Programme' where people choose to live with others regardless of their religion or race, in a neighbourhood that is safe and welcoming to all threatening to no-one.

The Pond Park properties were originally constructed in the late 1970's for the Ministry of Defence and provided residential provision for army personnel, however in late 2008 the houses were declared surplus to their requirements.

At the beginning of 2009 NIHE invited competition bids from all N.I. Registered Housing Associations for the procurement of these houses and the tenders submitted were assessed on the basis of lowest Housing Association Grant requirement, subject to the lowest bidder being able to demonstrate that it had the requisite financial capacity together with the ability to provide a localized and sensitive housing management service in the Pond Park area.

Oaklee Housing Association's tender was accepted by NIHE in February 2009 as the preferred bidder for Pond Park. The Association's total investment commitment for Pond Park is approximately £ 8.4 m which includes a total of £436, 000 required for refurbishment. Minor works were required to bring these houses to an acceptable standard and the first phase of this work was completed in May 2009. All houses are expected to be completed and ready for occupancy by October 2009.

The refurbishment included the replacement of kitchens to each dwelling, repairs and general maintenance work to both the interior and exterior of each property plus external redecoration. The Official Opening of Pond Park will be officiated by Mrs. Sylvia Doran MBE Chairperson of Oaklee Housing Association who comments on this significant event for social housing in Lisburn,

"I am delighted to be delivering the Official Key Hand over to the tenants of Pond Park. It is our vision that everyone has the right to affordable housing in Northern Ireland. The prominent site of Pond Park will be a valuable asset to the local community providing 112 families with affordable housing in this very desirable area of Lisburn. I offer my best wishes to the new residents and I hope they have many happy days in Pond Park"

Included in the purchase of the properties is a brownfield site formerly occupied by similar Defence Estate houses which were demolished. The Association is currently investigating the feasibility of developing this area to provide additional new-build dwellings to aid the current unmet housing need in the Lisburn area.