AQO 3583/22-27

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 07/05/2026
Answered On Date: 18/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities whether he will renew and update the targets in the Housing Supply Strategy 2024-2039 to take account of the lack of funding for new builds and issues impacting NI Water’s ability to meet wastewater demands.

Answer:

The Housing Supply Strategy states an ambition to deliver 100,000 homes of all tenures over a 15-year period, providing a clear framework for delivery.

This is an Executive Strategy, and the Executive has therefore committed to collectively identify actions to deliver the strategy, through a series of action plans.

Ongoing collaboration between Executive Departments is essential to address whole system barriers to supply. To give an example this includes the issue of wastewater constraints, with my officials engaging closely with the Department for Infrastructure to unlock capacity for new social homes.

The Strategy was published in December 2024. Whilst there is scope to undertake a strategic review of the Strategy every 5 years, I see no reason to change its ambition barely a year after it was published.

I remain focussed on the Strategy’s ambition and I have continually made clear the priority I place on housing and finding new solutions with the resources available to me. This Executive must also collectively demonstrate that it is serious about prioritising housing in its decision making and funding allocations.