100,000 homes to be delivered in Northern Ireland in 15 years

A new Stormont housing plan aims to facilitate the delivery of at least 100,000 new homes in Northern Ireland in the next 15 years.

One third of the target set would be social homes, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons told the Assembly.

The cross-departmental strategy aims to address some of the infrastructure issues that are currently constraining the number of homes built by the public and private sector, including waste water capacity and connections to transport, energy and digital networks.

Mr Lyons said the present day challenges around housing supply are significant, as he noted nearly 48,000 households are currently on the social housing waiting list, of which more 36,000 are considered in housing stress.

He said those numbers continue to rise - a trend he insisted was not sustainable.

Mr Lyons' Housing Supply Strategy, which was approved by the wider Stormont Executive last week, is centred on five key objectives. They are:

• Creating Affordable Options - Increase housing supply and affordable options across all tenures to meet housing need and demand;

• Prevention and Intervention: Prevent homelessness, reduce housing stress and improve and prioritise housing solutions for those most in need;

• Quality and Safety - Improve housing quality;

• Better Places - Ensure a greater mix of housing tenures are available within areas, to help build and maintain an improved sense of community;

• A Fair Path to Low Carbon Housing - Ensure that the construction of new housing and retrofitting of existing homes enables people to afford to heat their homes as well as allowing Northern Ireland to meet its greenhouse gas emission targets.

In order to stimulate investment in housing projects, Mr Lyons vowed to make more use of Financial Transactions Capital (FTC).

FTC is funding allocated to the Executive by the Government that can be deployed as a loan or an equity investment in a capital project delivered by the private sector.

Acknowledging the reliance on the construction sector to deliver much of the strategy's ambitions, the blueprint also includes measures around upskilling and reskilling workers and the delivery of apprenticeships.

Mr Lyons outlined the strategy in the Assembly on Monday.

"The housing issues we face are significant, and the current situation is not sustainable," he said.

"For too long, there has been no joined-up, cross-departmental approach to housing supply. That ends now.

"I am pleased to have the support of Executive colleagues to work together in new and innovative ways to deliver the supply of good quality, affordable and sustainable homes that we need in Northern Ireland.

"My ambition is to create a housing system that can deliver at least 100,000 homes - and more if needed. One third of these will be social homes, alongside an increased supply of intermediate homes delivered throughout the strategy lifetime.

"A safe, warm and affordable home is the foundation of so many things in life, and is linked to a broad range of positive health, education and economic outcomes. In addressing this we are seeking to change people's lives for the better."

The minister added: "This strategy goes beyond bricks and mortar, and looks at wider areas such as energy efficiency - making sure energy costs remain affordable and manageable for everyone."

Mr Lyons said he would also launch a consultation on a Fuel Poverty Strategy imminently. He said fuel poverty continues to affect too many households across Northern Ireland.

The Housing Supply Strategy has been endorsed by a range of organisations in the sector, including the Chartered Institute of Housing Northern Ireland; Homeless Connect; the Construction Employers Federation; The Northern Ireland Housing Executive; and Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Association.

"I am pleased there is a recognition of the collective effort required to address these issues, across the Executive but also from a range of organisations throughout the sector," said the minister.

"All involved appreciate the enormity of the task in front of us, and the need for both investment and transformative action. Yet in harnessing the collective will, and setting out the next steps, we are moving in the right direction.

"We are looking to work collaboratively, think different and promote change. This means being novel and innovative in our approach. It also means being ambitious in what we want to achieve.

"But most importantly, the whole system approach must put people, places and communities at its heart."