Housing Stock Investment 'Remains Limited'

A record number of Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) homes have been built although waiting lists are rising, according to the Acting Director of Design and Property Services.

However, Dolores Ferran also said that economic pressures will continue to impact on the housing budget for the city: "Despite the difficult economic situation, a record 2,418 social housing units were started last year across Northern Ireland, with 853 in Belfast." she said.

"With reducing levels of funding for new housing in the coming years, the target for the year ahead will only be 1,400 starts and the budget for the succeeding two years is likely to see further reductions.

"While last year saw the housing waiting list for Belfast increase, with 5,712 households in housing stress at the end of 2010," she said, adding, "in terms of our own houses, we remain limited in the number of improvements that we will carry out, yet the recent severe winter weather highlighted the need to invest in our stock and ensure our houses are as warm and energy efficient as possible".

On the economic situation she said: "The ongoing economic climate continues to have an impact on the entire public sector and recent budgets signal continuing reductions in public expenditure, especially in capital projects, for the foreseeable future.

"In addition the depressed property market has a direct effect on the amount of income that we can try to raise from selling our houses and land. However, it is essential that decades of progress are not lost," she continued.

The Acting Director noted that they will continue to make the case for investment across all tenures and look to see how this might be achieved during a period when government has limited resources.

Belfast Area Manager Maurice Johnston went on to highlight the key issues for Belfast: "Our main priority is to provide accommodation for those in housing need in the city," he said.

"In order to tackle this need we have an active new build programme and in Belfast 853 new homes were started last year. Some 600-700 new homes are programmed to be provided through this year's programme.

"The Housing Executive also continues to place high importance on reducing the number of empty properties within Belfast.

"Through the marketing of vacant properties, addressing those requiring major repairs and intensive voids management we seek to ensure that vacancies are kept to a minimum. At the end of March 2011 only 1.5% of our properties in the city were vacant.

"Last year the number of people found to be homeless in Belfast rose by 2.2% to 2,766, with 42% of those accepted as homeless being single people and 43% family households.

"The Housing Executive will continue to work hard to provide services to support those faced with homelessness in Belfast.

"Through our homelessness strategy we will seek closer co-operation with statutory, voluntary and private sector partners to deliver an effective multi agency response to tackling homelessness," he said.

"The stagnation in private sector new build activity has been accompanied by a rapid growth in the private rented sector.

"Our most recent survey indicated that private rented properties in the city had increased from 13,000 in 2001 to over 26,500 in 2009. This is also reflected in the rise in private sector tenants on Housing Benefit, which has increased by 56% from 2008 to 13,604 in 2011.

"We believe that private renting in Belfast has been instrumental in creating increased choice for people looking for a home of their own."

He said they also publish annual District Housing Plans for each of the 26 District Councils in Northern Ireland.

He explained that the plans detail the range of strategic factors, issues and initiatives which will impact on the local housing environment over the next year.

"They also provide an opportunity to report on performance for the previous year, and consult with local representatives on proposed housing programmes and investment," he concluded.

(BMcC)