04/12/2009

Social House Building Gets £30m Boost

The European Investment Bank has announced plans to invest £30m towards a number of social housing projects in Northern Ireland.

Funds are aimed at building new homes, and will support wider urban regeneration initiatives, the Department for Social Development said.

The significant investment will support a number of schemes either already underway or due to start within the next 18 months.

Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie made the announcement during a UK and Ireland 'Housing Work-stream' ministerial meeting to discuss a number of issues affecting social housing.

Paying tribute to both the European Investment Bank and the Housing Finance Corporation who made the funding possible, Ms Ritchie said: "This record support from the European Investment Bank, facilitated by the Housing Finance Corporation, comes at a time when we plan to deliver more new homes than at any time in the last decade.

"It is a very timely and welcome boost for housing here and represents a huge vote of confidence in the work of our Housing Associations, who will be able to draw down this investment to support their development."

Five housing associations will share this record level of European investment.

They are, Fold, Trinity, Helm, Oaklee and North and West Housing Associations.

Minister Ritchie was joined in Newcastle, Co Down, by Tom Hackett of the EIB, Director General for lending in Europe and Piers Williamson, Chief Executive of the Housing Finance Corporation.

(PR/BMcC)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

06 August 2015
Crumlin Social Housing Scheme Opened
A new social housing scheme of three and four bedroom houses has been officially opened in Crumlin. The fourteen new homes for families on the social housing waiting list, is owned and managed by Habinteg Housing Association who funded the build, with support from the Department for Social Development.
04 November 2021
More Social Homes Central To Housing Reform - Hargey
Delivering more social housing to areas most in need is central to a programme of housing reform, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey.
08 June 2016
Two Housing Associations Secure Loans To Build More Social Homes
Two NI housing associations have secured long term loans, worth a total of £280 million, by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The loans, for Choice and Apex housing associations, will be used to start construction on 4,700 new social homes over the next five years and to carry out refurbishment work on existing units.
11 February 2022
Major New Housing Development Scheme In Strabane
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced that her department has awarded an £11.7 million Housing Association Grant towards a new £22 million social housing scheme in Strabane. The development will provide 150 social homes as well as retail opportunities within the site and a children's playpark.
05 September 2008
Further Housing Association Commitment To First-Time Buyer Scheme
The Government's latest first-time buyers scheme has been given a further boost with the announcement that the North and West Housing Association has committed £4m to the money pot. This comes hot on the heels of the NI Housing Minister's announcement earlier this week of an affordable housing scheme in Portadown.