According to the history of St Agnes' Church, a site was acquired for the building of a new church to be called St Agnes': "On 9 December 1934 Dr. Mageean dedicated the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. About this time Canon Boyle, as he now was, acquired from Mr Fred McMullan of Avoca Lodge the site for St. Agnes’ Church". (https://www.stagnesbelfast.com/?page_id=50). There was an advertisement in the Belfast Telegraph on Thursday 16 February 1939 for a "new semi-villa" in St Agnes' Drive.
St Agnes Drive was named after St Agnes Church even though the church did not open until 1949.
St Agnes Drive is listed in the 1939 BUD with the wording: "houses in course of erection".