Communities Minister hails Radius Blacks Gate completion

(L-R): John McLean, CEO, Radius Housing; Anita Conway, Director of Development, Radius Housing; Communities Minister Gordon Lyons; and Martin Pitt, Chair of Radius Housing Association.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has hailed the completion of Radius Housing’s Blacks Gate development in Dunmurry as one of the largest social housing projects delivered in Northern Ireland in recent years.

With £15.3 million support from the Department for Communities, Radius has delivered 196 new social homes as part of the landmark development, which has seen the transformation of the former Visteon manufacturing site adjacent to the M1 motorway.

Speaking during a visit to Blacks Gate, Minister Lyons said,

“Blacks Gate is making a real difference to people’s lives, and it is about far more than the homes themselves. It is about helping individuals and families put down roots, build their future and become part of a thriving community.

“Every new home delivered is another step forward in tackling housing need. It creates opportunities, strengthens communities and ensures more people across Northern Ireland have access to a safe, secure and affordable place to call home.”

Radius Housing’s £47.5m Blacks Gate development has created a vibrant new neighbourhood comprising of 244 homes for almost 1000 people, with landscaped green space and recreational facilities for local families.

Blacks Gate is a mixed tenure development led by Radius Housing and combines social housing alongside 26 affordable Co-Ownership properties and 22 private homes. Housing options range from family homes and apartments to bungalows and specialist wheelchair-accessible accommodation.

The project brings the number of new social homes completed so far during Minister Lyons’ time in office to 4,066 with a further 5,639 units currently on site.

Minister Lyons said:

"Modern developments like Blacks Gate address social housing need and provide people with safe, secure homes. They demonstrate my commitment to supporting vibrant, stronger, and more sustainable communities.

“Despite a challenging financial context, I am committed to increasing the supply of social and affordable housing for hard-pressed people and families across Northern Ireland.

“That is why I allocated a record £210million to the 2025/26 Social Housing Development Programme. This investment resulted in the commencement of 1,765 new social homes last year, an increase of 261 new social homes on the previous year.”

Anita Conway, Director of Development, Radius Housing, said:

“Blacks Gate demonstrates the vital role housing associations can play in unlocking complex sites that might otherwise remain undeveloped. It is a powerful example of partnership in action, with support from the Department for Communities, the local community, contractors, consultants and many others helping to make this development possible.

“What was once a vacant and challenging former industrial site has been transformed into a thriving neighbourhood, providing much-needed homes for almost 1,000 people.

“The real success of Blacks Gate is reflected in the community that has grown here. Families are settled into their homes and a site once associated with dereliction has been transformed into a place where people can live, thrive and build their futures.”

Mark Graham, Chief Executive of Co-Ownership, said:

“Mixed tenure developments have become an important route for giving our customers access to new build homes that they might otherwise be unable to buy.  We are pleased to be working with Radius Housing at Blacks Gate, helping to deliver more affordable homes.”