Ritchie launches rural housing action plan

Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, today visited the Balmoral Show to launch the Housing Executive’s action plan for tackling the housing needs of people in rural areas.

The plan outlines priorities for the Housing Executive over the next two years in relation to the rural area housing needs and details actions to address issues such as growing affordability concerns, increasing waiting lists and poor housing conditions.

The “Rural Homes and People” policy has been developed following extensive consultation across Northern Ireland carried out by the Housing Executive and the Rural Community Network.

The Minister said:

“People in rural areas suffer the same economic and housing problems as those living elsewhere but these are often made worse by geographic isolation. Homes in rural areas are three times more likely to be unfit compared to homes in our towns and cities. In addition, the latest figures show that almost one in three households in rural areas live in fuel poverty compared with one in five in urban areas. There are also growing concerns about lack of decent housing, both in the private and social sectors. Compared with urban areas, rural areas have a comparatively small but growing social housing waiting list.

“I welcome the Housing Executive’s plan and their work in seeking the views of people from rural areas. Over one third of the population of Northern Ireland live in rural settlements and it is important that their concerns are highlighted and addressed. The Housing Executive’s plan provides a framework for decent affordable housing in rural areas and it will help to create vibrant sustainable rural communities.”

Paddy McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Housing Executive said:

“In recent months we have been consulting with communities and their representatives about how we address housing problems in rural areas. They have told us that affordable housing is a real concern which is putting renewed pressure on social housing in rural communities.

“The plan we have agreed will focus on enabling the building of new homes and improving existing properties. Another key priority is supporting communities and vulnerable people within these communities. We want to make sure that housing makes a lasting contribution to the broader rural regeneration.

“As the Regional Housing Authority, we want to work with rural communities and others to address their concerns. Working in partnership we will endeavour to deliver housing services to provide economic, social and environmental benefits in rural areas.”

Key actions for the Housing Executive under the Rural Homes and People policy include:

• Review how rural housing need is assessed and continue to test latent demand;
• Set a target for the number of homes built under the social housing new build programme;
• Increase Rural Priority Areas and review the Housing Executive’s replacement grant policy;
• Develop a Rural Housing Forum to represent the views of the rural community;
• Promote energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty in rural areas;
• Improve homelessness advice and services in rural areas.

The Housing Executive’s plan “Rural Homes and People” and “Rural Matters” - a summary of the consultation and action plan - are available on the Housing Executive’s website – http://www.nihe.gov.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Housing Trends in Rural Areas

• The last census showed that almost 35% of Northern Ireland’s population live in rural areas. Almost 70% of these 589,000 rural dwellers lived in small villages, hamlets and open countryside.
• The Interim House Condition Survey showed that in 2004, there are 680,000 dwellings in Northern Ireland of which 199,270 were in rural areas.
• Rural areas have a very high level of owner occupation (78%) compared to urban areas (64%). 5 year projections show that around 16% of future social housing provision is required in rural areas.

The Housing Executive developed its first plan for rural areas in 1991 and we have seen great progress in rural communities over the years.

The Housing Executive’s recent rural housing policy – ‘Places for People’- ran from 2000-06 and action taken included:

• Undertaking a regional programme of targeted ‘latent’ tests to identify hidden housing need in almost 100 small rural settlements.
• Enabling the provision of 465 rural social new build properties.
• Grant related rural work including 1425 Replacement Grants approved for unfit isolated rural properties. This was an investment of almost £43 million over the 5 years. Almost £78 million was also invested to improve properties outside Belfast/Derry. Grant Aid has also been targeted through Rural Priority Areas and rural Group Repair schemes.
• Partnership working with Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and others on the Rural Community Estates Programme which works with residents of rural housing estates to develop community infrastructure.

2. Photographs to accompany the launch can be accessed on the DSD website – http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/rural-action-plan-pictures.htm

3. Media enquiries to Jonathan Blease in the Housing Executive Press Office on 028 9031 8786 or Kathryn Campbell in the DSD Press Office on 028 9082 9078.