Green light for Kelly Brothers’ residential scheme

A proposed development of 30 new homes in Loughbrickland – being brought forward by Newry-based construction firm Kelly Brothers – has been approved.Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Brough Council (ABCBC) Planning Committee gave the green light for the scheme on the Donard View Road.The site is located in the immediate vicinity of New-Bridge Integrated College and St Francis Primary School and just 500m from Main Street in Loughbrickland.The development will provide a range of three and four-bedroom houses with a design mix to include 20 two-storey semi-detached and ten detached homes across the site.Construction is scheduled to commence in July 2024 with the development supporting approximately 25 to 30 jobs during its construction period marking an overall investment by Kelly Brothers of between £7.5m to £8m.Ronan Kelly, managing director of Kelly Brothers Ltd, said: “These 30 new homes will provide much needed housing quality, outdoor amenity space and connectivity which will support the development of Loughbrickland.”We’re proud of our track record across NI and with the scheme now approved, I look forward to getting the team out on site as soon as possible in order to deliver these high-quality new homes for the local community.”Councillor Ian Wilson, local councillor for Banbridge DEA, added: “This is a well thought out development and its design ticks all the boxes.”Being sited so close to Saint Francis Primary School and New Bridge Integrated College, these 30 new high-quality homes will undoubtedly prove to be very popular. The new footpath and pedestrian links to the Donard View Road and Poyntzpass Road will provide a much needed safe and convenient means of access for schoolchildren and prospective residents and enhance the connectivity of Loughbrickland. I look forward to seeing work on the site commence as soon as possible.”John Bronte, senior planner at Turley, said: “Having supported this application through the planning process, it is always satisfying to see an approval issued by the Planning Committee.”Housing demand across NI has never been higher and it is critical that we continue to deliver high-quality housing developments such as this across all available lands where appropriate, in order to meet that demand.”