Fold launches Cookstown scheme following £6m investment

Fold Housing Association has invested over £6m in the construction and land acquisition process for a significant development comprising 58 new homes  in Cookstown.

A celebration to mark the handover of completed high quality homes  at Burnvale Crescent took place this week. The houses and apartments have been designed to Lifetime Standards providing future proof solutions which meet the existing and changing needs of families.  At  Burnvale, as with all our new homes, the emphasis  is on  quality, design and energy efficiency  - ensuring we deliver sustainable homes which integrate into the existing communities.

The development is designated to become one of ten social housing “shared neighbourhoods” under the First and Deputy First Minister’s Together: Building a United Community (TBUC) strategy.

As part of the launch event, which took place in the Burnavon Theatre on Monday 21^st November, students from South West College performed a specially commissioned production. Broken Windows by Brian McMahon covers a diverse range of personal and social issues which affect young people and adults within our society today.

Speaking at the launch event, Diana Fitzsimons, chair of Fold Housing Association said: “Building work on Burnvale Crescent began in 2014 and we are pleased to be able to deliver 58 high quality homes in Cookstown. It was particularly important to our organisation that we maximised the opportunities for job creation in the construction sector through the build process.

“Through our wider community investment programme, Fold included social clauses in all supplier contracts for the construction of these new homes which provided employment for unemployed people, placements for students and apprentice opportunities. At the height of the work Donaghmore Construction, a Dungannon based firm and the main contractor on the project, had over 70 tradesmen on site.”

The first handover of the new homes took place on 1^st May, and this was followed by a further five handovers. The final handover is scheduled for December.  

Mrs Fitzsimons added: “On behalf of Fold and everyone involved in the building of Burnvale Crescent, I wish all our tenants the very best of luck and every success in their new homes.”

Please visit our facebook page to see more photographs from the evening at www.facebook.com/foldni