During a visit to the city, the Minister launched the Housing Executive’s Lisburn Housing and Regeneration Strategy. This includes the building of new homes, the modernisation of existing houses and grants to help people upgrade their homes. It has been valued at £77million – excluding land costs - over the next five years.
The strategy aims to maximise the supply of social and affordable housing, to enhance the role of social housing in supporting strong sustainable communities and to promote the social housing sector’s contribution to wider regeneration and development initiatives within Lisburn.
The Minister said: “The Strategy will focus, not only on increasing the supply of housing in Lisburn, but also on working with others to support well-being and regeneration initiatives. It is not just about bricks and mortar but about building communities as well.
“The new work will build on the sustained improvements in housing we have achieved over recent years. The quality of homes in areas such as Old Warren and Seymour Hill have been improved considerably and this has also encouraged community-based regeneration initiatives. Substantial housing developments at Ballymacoss and Tonagh are providing new modern homes in areas of housing need. However, there are still too many people in Lisburn who have to wait far longer for housing than they, or the Housing Executive, would want.’
Paddy McIntyre, the Housing Executive’s Chief Executive said:
‘The Housing Executive is committed to building sustainable communities – this means making sure that new housing is supported by jobs and education and health facilities. These need to be delivered in parallel. Together with the Housing Associations, key statutory agencies and local communities we can work to make this Strategy a success.’
Notes to Editors:
- Lisburn Housing and Regeneration Strategy is published following extensive consultation on last year’s Sector Study which set out the facts on housing and related issues.
- The Housing Executive intends delivering its housing strategy through three key objectives: maximising housing supply, improving housing conditions and regeneration through partnership.
- It is estimated that 924 units of social housing will be delivered through housing associations over the five-year period.
- The Housing Executive will also support the Lisburn Historic Quarter Development Strategy through the Living Over The Shops (LOTS) scheme, the Lagan Corridor Strategic Framework and will respond to the Linenhall Street Development Framework and the Masterplan for the former Maze prison site.
- Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9497. Out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
