Social landlords rail against sectarian threats

The graffiti was daubed outside the Clanmil Housing Group development at Felden, a former training campus in the outskirts of North Belfast.

It made explicit threats to Protestant prospective community residents, as well as a named member of staff at Clanmil.

Cameron Watt, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA), said the scheme was located near to a “vociferously territorial” hardline dissident republican area.

“We completely condemn this action – it demonstrates the scale of the challenge in developing mixed housing in parts of Northern Ireland,” he said.

“This is a stark illustration of the challenges housing managers face. There aren’t a huge number of these mixed developments. Where they have taken place, generally they have been successful.”

A Clanmil Housing Association spokesperson said families would start moving into the new homes in early autumn. Allocations are made via the Common Selection Allocations Scheme, a centralised points-based system for social housing applicants administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. 

“We are deeply concerned that graffiti has appeared in the area with the intention of intimidating people who need a home,” the spokesperson added.

“We have recruited community engagement and cohesion officers to work alongside our tenants and the wider community, and all our staff are working tirelessly to see these houses become homes that people are proud to live in.”

The Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are currently reviewing allocation policy and considering scrapping a system under which social housing applicants can receive extra points for social housing if they can demonstrate intimidation.