Issue 118 - Lisburn BT25 • BT26 •BT27 •BT28 • BT29
Planning approval for over-55s housing development Recently the Planning Committee at Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council granted approval for a social housing development for over 55-year-olds to be located on Lisburn’s Moira Road.
Education Minister Paul Givan is pictured at Anahilt Pre-school Playgroup, Hillsborough with pupils and Dara Graham, Preschool Leader.
Education Minister announces expansion of Pre-School education provision
Education Minister Paul Givan has announced that an additional 102 pre-school settings across Northern Ireland have been approved to offer full-time pre-school education from September 2026. This is the second cohort of settings which have been approved to move to offering full time places under the Preschool Standardisation programme. The Minister made the announcement following a recent visit to Anahilt Preschool Playgroup, one of
the 102 settings approved to transition to the standardised 22.5 hours per week in September 2026. Paul Givan said: “The Pre-school Standardisation Programme has already seen 105 settings successfully transition to full time sessions in September 2025.
It is already making a difference to over 2,500 children and their families. “Today’s announcement is another step forward in my commitment to standardise all funded preschool education provision to 22.5 hours per week. “A further 102 settings have been approved to
move to full time sessions from September 2026. This will mean that approximately 50% of preschool provision, in every area of Northern Ireland, will be full time.
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The location of the proposed scheme is adjacent to 3 to 19 Moira Road, Lisburn. Alderman James Tinsley, Planning Committee Chair, said: “This new development is expected to result in a high quality residential scheme, designed to complement the surrounding area. Alpha Housing, in consultation with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, has identified a need for this type of housing in Lisburn. “We are pleased to approve plans that meet the objectives of our statutory plans. The provision of much-needed social housing for over55s in a highly accessible and sustainable location aligns with our Local
Development Plan and Community Plan.” The permitted development also includes communal amenity space, bin and cycle storage, landscaping and car parking. The planning application was submitted by TSA Planning on behalf of property developers Bluehouse Development Ltd. Alpha Housing intends to purchase the site subject to planning. Alpha Housing provides housing and tenant support across Northern Ireland, mostly through provision of sheltered housing for older people. It is committed to an ambitious growth phase focusing on new build projects to provide homes for ‘independent older people’.