Over £9million to be invested in local housing

At a recent meeting of Lisburn City Councili’s Planning Committee, South Regional Manager Lorraine Campbell explained: “The housing waiting list for Lisburn Antrim Street has increased from 1,721 applicants in March 2012 to 2,020 at December 2012.

“Housing stress also continues to increase, with 1,103 applicants in housing stress at December 2012. During the year to December 2012, we allocated 549 homes in the social housing sector to waiting list applicants.”

Discussing the need for new social housing in the area she said: “At the end of March 2013, 14 schemes were on site to deliver 467 homes in Culcavy, Lisburn, Dunmurry, Poleglass and Twinbrook.

“The Social Housing Development Programme for 2013-16 proposes 20 schemes to deliver 396 units of housing in Lisburn, Dunmurry, Glenavy, Twinbrook, Poleglass and Lagmore.”

Included in the budget for the coming year is £2.3 million to help vulnerable people to live independently and £3.7 million for planned maintenance, which includes heating replacements for 198 properties in the Lisburn area.

A total of 172 homes will also benefit from kitchen replacement and a further 318 properties are programmed to have external maintenance work carried out.

Ms Campbell continued: “We have also allocated almost £860,000 for private sector grant work in Lisburn during 2013-14 excluding warm homes which is demand led and cannot be projected.

“The Housing Community Network, local community and residents groups are doing valuable work reviewing and improving housing services for local people.

“Members of staff are working diligently with residents and other agencies to promote and encourage safer, settled and inclusive housing areas within Lisburn.

“The BRIC Programme and Shared Communities Programme will remain important contributors for this range of work.”

She concluded by saying that the Housing Executive remains committed to improving public housing services.

“Our local staff continue to provide a dedicated housing service in the Lisburn City Council Area.

“District Office staff work alongside the Customer Services Unit, Accounts and Housing Benefit Units within the new Lisburn & Castlereagh Area and South Region,” she added.