Social housing tops council action plan

Social housing tops council action plan

28 August 2019

IDENTIFYING sites for social homes across the district is one of the key planks of a new housing action plan which has been officially launched.

The plan — launched by Newry, Mourne and Down Council — aims to tackle the district’s social housing crisis head-on as the number of people in urgent need of a roof over their head continues to increase.

The launch of the plan follows a major housing conference the local authority organised several months ago which brought together key decision makers to plot a course that can address an issue which local politicians have warned will only increase.

Other key agencies including the Housing Executive, Housing Associations, Department for Communities and planners are all involved in the drive to provide more new homes across the district where almost 3,200 people are seeking social homes, with almost 2,400 of applicants placed in the urgent need category.

Moving forward, a new housing sub-group has been set up which includes representatives from various organisations and others from the community and voluntary sector to focus on agreed priorities and deliver a series of actions identified in the plan.

It is intended that the sub-group will report to the ‘Living Well Together’ Community Planning Partnership Board on its progress.

In addition to identifying suitable land for new housing, the plan also aims to improve access to social and affordable housing and implementing the homelessness action plan. 

In addition, the local authority’s local development plan will also provide a 15-year framework to shape the provision of future housing development and support the wider social and economic needs of the district.

Council chairman, Charlie Casey, said he was delighted to launch the new action plan and is pleased that, through working in partnership, a number of key priority actions that will address housing need in the district have been agreed.

He added: “We all are aware that there is a great need for social and affordable housing; it is increasing and affects all aspect of people’s lives.

“The lack of suitable, quality housing, is not only detrimental to the economy, it also has a real effect on people’s health and wellbeing, something that the council takes very seriously. I hope that by implementing this action plan we can make a real difference to the residents of our district.”

Last year, there was across-the-board political support for a motion calling for a major housing conference to take place to address the social housing crisis.

At the time, it was revealed that Newcastle was a social housing need hot spot with 250 people on the waiting list for new homes classed in the urgent need category. 

Politicians were told that a lack of available land to build new homes was exacerbating the crisis in a resort where rented properties were at a premium, with houses that do come on the market snapped up by people for use as holiday homes.

Councillors say they are keen for all various stakeholders collaborating to provide short, medium and long term solutions to tackle the crisis.

In addition, they are keen to see a focus on building appropriate housing for the changing needs of the district, including the increasing demand for single occupancy dwellings and housing that meets the needs of vulnerable people. 

Politicians say more affordable housing is also required as house price growth is higher in Newry, Mourne and Down than the average growth experienced across Northern Ireland.

They say there is a need to plan for long term needs, tackle homelessness and the poverty gap, social housing development and accessible homes provision.

Politicians say they hope that by working with partners across the statutory, community, voluntary and private sectors, they can come up with solutions.