Antrim and Newtownabbey: 3,470 people on the housing waiting list with council told of 'deep-rooted challenges in the sector'
A total of £9.57m was invested in Housing Executive properties in Antrim and Newtownabbey through planned maintenance and stock improvements during 2024/25, councillors have been told.
A report presented to a meeting of the borough council at Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, on Monday evening, said a further £9.85m is planned for Housing Executive homes across the borough during this financial year.
Overall, Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s investment in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough during 2024/25 was almost £80m.
Speaking at the meeting Caroline Connor, Housing Executive interim director in the Strategic Housing Authority, outlined the annual Housing Investment Plan to the council.
She reported 275 housing association new-build units on-site in March with 150 housing completions during 2024/25 but she acknowledged the number of new social homes ” falls short of what is required”. There are 425 planned during the next three years.
The council was told 1,147 people presented as homeless during 2024/25 and more than 500 homes were allocated to waiting list applicants.
There are 3,474 people on the housing waiting list in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough. Of these, 2,729 applicants were in housing stress on March 31.
Temporary Accommodation
Single and small family households comprise 71% of the housing stress waiting list in the council area. There were 118 applicants on the waiting list in rural areas of the borough with fewer than ten allocations. The sum of £2.04m was spent on temporary accommodation in the borough.
During 2024/25, the Housing Executive made 534 placements in temporary accommodation which included 132 in hotels/bed and breakfasts, 200 in single-let properties and 73 through the Crash charity. The remainder went to Housing Executive hostels, voluntary sector hostels and leased properties.
There were 1,526 single people; 160 ‘small adult’; 922 small families; 58 ‘large adult’; 259 large families and 549 older people on the waiting list in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough.
Of allocations during the 2024/25 year, 185 went to single tenants; 26, ‘small adults’; 160, small families, fewer than ten, ‘large adult’; 34, large families and 90, older persons.
It has been predicted 1,474 new homes will be needed in Antrim and Newtownabbey between 2024 and 2029 with the greatest need in Antrim town and urban Newtownabbey.
The Housing Executive says 311 are needed in Antrim town; 82, Ballyclare; four, Ballynure; 123, Crumlin; Doagh/Kelburn Park, 11; Oakview/Roughfort, one; Parkgate/Templepatrick, 30; Randalstown, 70 and Toomebridge, 18.
In Newtownabbey Urban region,the projected need is: Ballyduff, 24; Bleachgreen, one; central Glengormley, 235; Felden, 36; Hightown, 27; Longlands/Bawnmore/Old Mill, 75; Mallusk, 12; Monkstown, 29; Mossley, 61; Rathcoole, 149; Rathfern, 49; Rushpark, 41 and Whiteabbey, 85.
Last year, the Housing Executive carried out the installation of new heating in 453 homes in the borough, 74 double glazing installations, and 838 properties received external maintenance. Improvements were also made to bathrooms of 109 properties. The sum of £0.9m was spent on home adaptations.
During 2024/25, the Housing Executive approved 45 disabled facilities grants for private sector dwellings and completed 55. Almost £15m was invested in energy efficiency improvements with £0.69m for ‘Affordable Warmth’ upgrades.
The Housing Executive says the sum of £9.85m is earmarked for planned maintenance during the 2025.26 financial year and almost £11m on response maintenance with almost £2m for grounds maintenance; £1.32m on adaptations for disabled tenants and £510k for Affordable Warmth schemes amongst proposals in the borough.
Caroline continued: “Work to support the most vulnerable in our communities continued throughout the year with £3.66m invested through the ‘Supporting People’ programme to fund 54 services provided by partner organisations across the borough.”
This investment provided housing support to 1,338 people last year.
“We were able to support local communities with over £211k funding through our community grants, community safety and community cohesion programmes. We know this is more important than ever when we continue to face deep-rooted challenges in the housing sector,” she added.
The sum of £24.95m in housing benefit was administered by the Housing Executive for the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Arrears decreased by £44k during 2024/25.
There were 3,724 Housing Executive tenants receiving the housing cost element of Universal Credit in Antrim and Newtownabbey at the end of March. The Housing Executive collected 99.86% of rent during the last financial year.
Nineteen Housing Executive properties were sold to sitting tenants during 2024/25. The average selling price was £58,547.
Meanwhile, Ulster University says the average house price in Antrim and Newtownabbey during 2024 was £183,606 which is a decrease by 2.3 per cent since 2023.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter