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NIHE investment in Newry, Mourne and Down tops £81m, but body has concerns about future funding pressures
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) provided the £81.25m update as part of its annual investment plan, but raised concerns about the level of capital spending in future.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive provided the £81.25m update as part of its annual investment plan, but raised concerns about the level of capital spending in future #UKhousingThis multimillion-pound investment in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area was provided during a progress update to councillors on the NIHE’s annual Housing Investment Plan.
Investment in new-build homes in the district saw 447 housing association units on site in March 2025, and 164 housing completions for the year.
Grainia Long, chief executive of the NIHE, said: “The rent levels set over the last three years have given us some additional capacity to invest in our own homes.
“Last year, we were able to make significant investments in improving our homes and, assuming rent levels remain stable, we plan to invest £750m into our housing stock across Northern Ireland over the next three years.
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“We are pleased to be able to deliver for our tenants, however we do have concerns about the impact of the housing budget for 2025-26, specifically on the ambitions for increasing housing supply.
“Any addition to housing stock is a benefit, however the pressure on future capital spending will continue into 2025-26 and we will see another year where the number of new social homes being built falls short of what is required.”
The update also showed £7.22m was invested in housing executive properties through planned maintenance and stock improvements during 2024-25, with a similar amount planned across the district in 2025-26.
Last year, £14.9m was invested specifically in energy-efficiency improvement measures, with plans to sustain this investment during 2025-26. More than £6.2m was invested by the NIHE in its Supporting People programme to fund 61 services provided by partner organisations across the district.
This investment provided housing support to 1,301 people last year. In this region, 677 people who presented as homeless were accepted for support last year, and this programme’s budget has been ringfenced for 2025-26.
The NIHE’s concern about future funding comes as the latest data revealed there were no new-build social housing starts in Northern Ireland in the second quarter of this year.
Ms Long added: “We were able to support local communities with £75,000 [in] funding through our community grants, community safety and community-cohesion programmes.
“We recognise the importance of inclusion and good relations in helping people sustain their tenancies and build strong communities.
“We know this is more important than ever when we continue to face deep-rooted challenges in the housing sector.
“This update on our Housing Investment Plan coincides with the start of our new three-year corporate strategy: Our Promise to Our Communities.
“The strategy commits us to contributing more to the health of our customers, building cohesive neighbourhoods, driving sustainable growth opportunities and brighter futures for generations across Northern Ireland.
“Whilst we recognise the challenging environment we are operating in, we are also confident that there are many opportunities to build on the great work carried out through partnerships with our local councils.
“I am looking forward to continuing this work as we deliver against our shared goal of providing better places to live for the people and communities we serve.”
The NIHE’s annual spending on temporary accommodation rose by 16% last year, to hit nearly £40m.
The Department for Communities has been contacted for a response to the funding concerns.
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