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NI housing associations meet reduced development target
Housing associations in Northern Ireland met the Department for Communities’ (DfC) development target last year, which was reduced because of political stalemate in the region.
Despite the prevailing difficulties, the sector made 1,759 starts through the Social Housing Development Programme in 2017/18, narrowly beating the 1,750 target.
The DfC had initially set a target of 2,000 starts, but this was reduced last June as Northern Ireland continued to operate without a functioning government.
The department saw its capital budget – which it uses to hand out social housing grant – shrink by £36m last year as the region ran on a compromised budget controlled by civil servants.
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It is the highest number of social housing starts achieved by the sector’s 20 associations since 2014/15 – when 2,013 units were built with £40.1m more capital grant than was available in 2017/18.
Associations completed 1,507 new social and affordable homes, comfortably beating the 1,200 target, which was also slashed.
Ben Collins, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations, said: “This is a very good result for the sector, which has been able to deliver despite some challenging economic and political circumstances.
“As well as providing much needed new homes, investment in these new developments also helps boost our local economy and provide valuable jobs, especially in the construction sector.”
