Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched a new plan to build at least 100,000 new homes across Northern Ireland by 2039.
The 15-year Housing Supply Strategy has been backed by a number of supporting organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Housing Northern Ireland, Homeless Connect, the Construction Employers Federation, The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Association.
Among the plans include the need to invest in infrastructure including wastewater infrastructure, the need to make improvements to the planning system and the need to release public sector land for construction where appropriate.
Of the 100,000 homes that the Executive hopes to build, approximately 33,000 will be social housing. The rest will be made up of private housing and intermediate housing such as those on the Co-Ownership scheme.
To put these figures into context, there are currently around 830,000 homes in Northern Ireland with the Belfast City Council area being the only district with more than 100,000 homes. Fermanagh and Omagh District currently has around 50,000 homes so to build 100,000 homes across Northern Ireland would be akin to tripling the size of that council area.
While the strategy does not indicate where these homes will be built, it does take account of the Strategic Housing Market Analysis which was carried out by the Housing Executive and published in 2022. That analysis suggested that just under 85,000 new homes would be required by 2035 with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council area requiring the most followed by Lisburn and Castlereagh.
The strategy has five objectives which include creating affordable options, preventing homelessness and interventions, quality and safety of homes, better communities and a fair path to low-carbon housing.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is also set to announce a new LAMA (Loans to Aquire Move-on Accomodation) scheme this week which will provide loans to homeless organisations to buy homes for those currently in homeless shelters. It is understood that the first loans have already been provided to the Simon Community who have purchased a number of homes which some of their service users have begun to move into.
Speaking in the Assembly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “The housing issues we face are significant, and the current situation is not sustainable. 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 said that this strategy goes beyond "bricks and mortar" and and looks at wider areas such as energy efficiency. He also indicated that he will shortly be launching a consultation on his department's Fuel Poverty Strategy.
“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. 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," he added.
“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.”
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