Mother of three, Marie-Claire Meighan (left), pictured with Christina Doran from Apex outside her new four-bedroom bungalow which she says has "made a big difference" to her familyFamilies praise new Apex homes in Dunmurry
Two local mothers have praised their new homes in Dunmurry, commending Apex Housing Association for the space and freedom it has given them and their children. The homes in Areema Grove are part of a new shared housing development completed recently by Apex, consisting of twenty-two homes including houses, bungalows and apartments.
Natalie Brammeld has struggled to find suitable housing for herself and her three-year-old son Kai who is autistic; and says she is ‘delighted’ to be to be moving into her new two-bedroom house in Areema Grove.
To have our own space is brilliant. Kai is severely autistic and likes to run laps every day. He’s never been able to enjoy public playparks, but now he has a large garden to run around in. The location is perfect, just a stone’s throw from my parent’s house and Kai’s school, meaning I still have support close at hand. The last year has been difficult and caused so much stress, but now life is so much easier. I’m delighted with our new home.
Marie-Claire Meighan, another new resident of Areema Grove, says her new home has made “a big difference” to her family, especially her fourteen-year-old son Eamonn who has a disability. Along with her husband and two other children, they have moved into a four-bedroom bungalow in the new development.
We love our new home. It’s made such a difference to our family, but especially Eamonn who now has the freedom to move from room to room and even out into the back garden by himself without any difficulty. We’re still close to family and the kids’ schools which is great and being within a quiet cul-de-sac with very little traffic is very reassuring too.
As a ‘Housing for All’ development, Areema Grove, its residents and the surrounding area will benefit from funding to encourage and support positive community relations. Apex will work in partnership with local advisory group stakeholders and residents to develop and deliver a good relations plan for the area.
Donna Matthewson, Apex’s Director of Housing, commented:
It is great to see the creation of this new community in Dunmurry with people from different backgrounds living together. We are proud to have provided eight shared communities across Northern Ireland so far, with a further three developments due to be completed next year.
Areema Grove has provided much needed social housing in the Dunmurry area; delivering high quality homes for families, older people and those with disabilities. It’s no exaggeration to say that these homes really have changed lives and we are delighted to have played a part in that.
The development of Areema Grove has been supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. £2million has been invested in the Areema Grove shared housing development and associated five-year good relations plan.
Apex Housing Association currently has eight shared housing developments across Northern Ireland, with a further three currently being constructed. The Areema Grove Good Relations Plan will include ‘bridging’ events which are delivered to the wider community to encourage a range of good relations outcomes which include health and wellbeing, education and training.
For more information about Areema Grove and its associated good relations plan, please contact Sharon Hunt (Good Relations Officer) on 028 7130 4800.
