Designed by Knox & Clayton Architects, the Joymount Development in Carrickfergus will be the first offsite housing scheme to be built in Northern Ireland.  The homes were manufactured and fully fitted out offsite at The McAvoy Group’s production centre in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The £4.7m contract for Clanmil Housing Association is unique. Each of the homes, complete with bathrooms, kitchens, partitions and glazing, are shipped on site and installed. The build programme is reduced by around 50%.

It will feature 8 one- and two-bedroom apartments for couples and families; 17 two-bedroom apartments for active older people, and 12 two-bedroom houses for families. There will also be three detached bungalows specifically designed for individual families with complex needs.

The first pod arrived on site at the start of April 2019 and is due to be complete in August 2019.

The Joymount scheme is located adjacent to a Conservation Area, close to the 12th Century Carrickfergus Castle. A historic wall forms one of the boundaries to the site which McAvoy will undertake works to preserve.

The design of the scheme reflects its location and draws inspiration from the historic buildings nearby. Materials such as slate roofing, white render and timber windows have been selected to be natural and in keeping with the Conservation Area.