AQW 8954/16-21

Mr Steven Agnew
Green Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 09/12/2016
Answered On Date: 20/12/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities pursuant to AQW 7713/16-21, to outline the (i) reasons the Housing Executive would hold land, other than for development; and (ii) consideration given to releasing land with development potential to housing associations to develop.

Answer:

The Housing Executive has advised that:

It would only retain land that is required for development or to support wider programmes, initiatives and developments related to the housing market, social well-being and regeneration or that is required to be retained as open space/amenity lands.

In the past five years, the Housing Executive has transferred 108 sites to housing associations, facilitating starts on 1,645 new social homes and is working closely with housing associations to progress the transfer of a further 13 sites in 2016/17 to facilitate starts on 129 new social homes.