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23/01/2008
Budget Boom For Home Building Welcomed
The extra cash - just announced - for the provision of social housing has been welcomed by the Assembly's Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie.
She said that the extra quarter of a billion pounds in the NI Executive's final budget means that an additional £205m will be available for the next three years for social housing.
This comes on top of an extra £70m secured in the current year, so the Minister is now confident that she can meet all her main housing priorities over the next three years.
Ms Ritchie said: "When I took up office in May we were on course to achieve 600 housing starts.
"We are now likely to achieve up to 1,500 starts this year and deliver in excess of 2,000 social and affordable houses in each of the next three years. Now I have certainty in my budget I can finalise my plans for housing. I will announce details of these plans, including an ambitious new housing agenda, next month," she said.
"This is a much better budget than what was originally proposed; better for those on waiting lists, better for those who are homeless, better for those who want to reach the first rung on the housing ladder.
"I have made no secret of the fact that what was being offered in the original draft budget was not enough.
"While it is pleasing that my efforts have yielded significantly more public funding I also recognise the need for innovative ways of raising even further capital for social and affordable housing.
"I believe it is possible to get a much greater contribution from the private sector."
The Minister then went on to pay tribute to the public and voluntary housing associations: "The many players in the housing sector made a significant contribution during the consultation process.
"Their detailed analysis played a vital part and strengthened my resolve to secure this massive increase in funds. I assure them, as I assure everyone in Northern Ireland seeking a home, that I will work tirelessly in pursuit of their interests.
"I believe I now have the financial underpinning to deliver and enhance social and affordable housing programmes over the next three years," she concluded.
See: Executive Budget Revealed
(BMcC)
She said that the extra quarter of a billion pounds in the NI Executive's final budget means that an additional £205m will be available for the next three years for social housing.
This comes on top of an extra £70m secured in the current year, so the Minister is now confident that she can meet all her main housing priorities over the next three years.
Ms Ritchie said: "When I took up office in May we were on course to achieve 600 housing starts.
"We are now likely to achieve up to 1,500 starts this year and deliver in excess of 2,000 social and affordable houses in each of the next three years. Now I have certainty in my budget I can finalise my plans for housing. I will announce details of these plans, including an ambitious new housing agenda, next month," she said.
"This is a much better budget than what was originally proposed; better for those on waiting lists, better for those who are homeless, better for those who want to reach the first rung on the housing ladder.
"I have made no secret of the fact that what was being offered in the original draft budget was not enough.
"While it is pleasing that my efforts have yielded significantly more public funding I also recognise the need for innovative ways of raising even further capital for social and affordable housing.
"I believe it is possible to get a much greater contribution from the private sector."
The Minister then went on to pay tribute to the public and voluntary housing associations: "The many players in the housing sector made a significant contribution during the consultation process.
"Their detailed analysis played a vital part and strengthened my resolve to secure this massive increase in funds. I assure them, as I assure everyone in Northern Ireland seeking a home, that I will work tirelessly in pursuit of their interests.
"I believe I now have the financial underpinning to deliver and enhance social and affordable housing programmes over the next three years," she concluded.
See: Executive Budget Revealed
(BMcC)
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