Schoolchildren name social housing scheme in Crossgar

Schoolchildren name social housing scheme in Crossgar

19 February 2020

A NEW social housing scheme in the heart of Crossgar has been officially named.

Work on a scheme by Clanmil Housing to build 20 homes on a former derelict site in Downpatrick Street is nearing completion and has been named Everogue Lane.

Housing officials approached Glasswater Primary School and Cedar Integrated Primary School to ask pupils to take part in a competition to name the new development by coming up with an imaginative name that would reflect the site’s surroundings or some other interesting aspect of the local area.

A total of 35 entries were received from P7 pupils at the two schools, the most imaginative of which were submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down Council to select the winning name.

The development’s new name reflects the original name for the village, Everogues Bridge, before it became known as Crossgar, with the winning name a combination of ideas from former Glasswater pupil Grace Chapman and Gabriel Gormley, a former pupil at Cedar.

Clanmil’s community cohesion officer, Philip Whyte, presented Grace and Gabriel with Amazon Fire tablets in recognition of their creativity. 

“We are delighted by the interest that the children have shown in our development and very impressed by the standard and range of names suggested,” he said.“ Well done to everyone who got involved and thank you to the schools for helping with the competition.

“Congratulations to Gabriel and Grace who have together come up with the perfect name for the scheme. These new homes will add to the vibrancy of this village and we are really looking forward to welcoming families to their new homes at Everogue Lane in a just few weeks’ time.”

The new Crossgar development is being promoted as a ‘Housing for All’ scheme where people can choose to live with others, regardless of their religion or race, in a shared neighbourhood that is safe and welcoming to all. 

The 20 new homes, which includes six houses and 14 apartments, will be allocated to people from the social housing waiting list.

Crossgar Community Association vice-chairman Noel Ellison said the village has been waiting a long time for the development of the Downpatrick Street site and that it’s very fitting that its name looks back to Crossgar’s long history.

“Residents have expressed how pleased they are with the design and high quality finish of this much-needed social housing scheme and we look forward to welcoming the new tenants to our village. We hope they’ll be happy in their new homes and consider getting positively involved in village life,” he added.

Rowallane councillor Terry Andrews has also welcomed the new Everogues Lane development.  He said: “It is hard to believe where the years have gone since Carraigview in Raholp was handed over to tenants in April 2013. It was then that the availability of an open space in the centre of Crossgar was highlighted with Clanmil.

“Following lobbying by myself and former South Down MP Margaret Ritchie it is good to see the end result, with Everogue Lane providing much-needed homes in the area and part of the shared future scheme all of which is an excellent idea.”

The Everogue Lane shared housing scheme is being delivered through the Programme for Government Shared Housing Programme ‘Housing for All’ with the Department for Communities providing £1.5m towards the cost of developing the scheme and support the development of the shared scheme’s five-year good relations plan.