CONTENTS SECTION ITEM PAGE Foreword 3 1.0 Introduction 7 Executive Summary 9 2.0 Regional Housing Context 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Programme for Government 14 2.3 Economy 18 2.4 Land Use Planning Framework for Housing 19 2.5 Northern Ireland Demographic Profile 20 2.6 Northern Ireland Housing Market Context 21 2.7 Addressing Housing Issues 24 2.8 Summary 31 3.0 Belfast Housing Market Analysis 33 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Land Use Planning Framework 34 3.3 Demographics 35 3.4 Socio-Economic Context 36 3.5 Sustainable Development 38 3.6 Housing Context 39 3.7 Private Housing Market 40 3.8 Affordability 42 3.9 Social Housing 43 3.10 Main Issues 46 4.0 Belfast Local Housing Strategy 48 Delivering the Decent Homes Standard 48 Promoting Independent Living 50 Fostering Urban and Rural Regeneration 52 Promoting Affordable Housing 54 Building a Stronger Community 58 Delivering Better Public Services 60 5.0 Strategy Funding, Programmes and Performance 62 5.1 Funding Allocation 62 5.2 Grants Performance 63 5.3 Improvement and Planned Maintenance Programme 64 5.4 Social Housing Development Programme 69 5.5 Local Performance Review 76 SECTION ITEM PAGE Appendices 81 Appendix 1 North Belfast Sector 82 Appendix 2 South Belfast Sector 91 Appendix 3 East Belfast Sector 97 Appendix 4 West Belfast Sector 105 Appendix 5 Shankill Sector 113 Appendix 6 Contact Information 120 Appendix 7 Useful Documents 122 Appendix 8 Glossary 124 Responses to District Housing Plan This document has been produced by the Housing Executive’s Corporate and Area Planning teams. We would welcome your comments on this year’s plan. Comments should be sent to: Mr S Semple Strategic Planning Manager Northern Ireland Housing Executive Housing Centre 2 Adelaide Street BELFAST BT2 8PB e-mail [email protected] The District Housing Plans for the 26 District Councils will be available on our website at www.nihe.gov.uk We can let you have a copy of the Plans in a language that meets your needs and in different formats, including large print, Braille, audio cassette, computer disk and DAISY format. 2 Foreword This year we are pleased to introduce our ‘new look’ District Housing Plan. This represents a first stage in a transition to a local housing strategy document and provides information to local Councils on how we link our business objectives to Public Service Agreements. We will introduce further measures to align our Local Housing Strategies to the development of Northern Ireland’s Community Planning requirements, together with enhanced stakeholder involvement. Good strategic planning is at the core of the delivery of a quality service. The District Housing Plans include a local housing market analysis summarising the main drivers which shape the local Housing Market within the District. Our regional strategies, programmes and initiatives are applied at the local level, where required, and are set out within the local housing strategy section. The Plans also provide an opportunity to report on performance for the past year (2007/08) and consult with local representatives on our proposed housing programmes and investment for 2008/09. As ever, things do not stand still and we face some considerable challenges if we are to meet our objectives in the coming years. The Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA, announced her New Housing Agenda for Northern Ireland at the end of February 2008. While much progress has been made, we face significant challenges. The housing issues in Northern Ireland have been much publicised of late, particularly the affordable housing shortage. Since April 2007 responsibility for the management of the Social Housing Development Programme was transferred to us from the Department, and in our first year we have exceeded in delivering the target. A total of 1,595 units were commenced against a target of 1,500 properties. In achieving this we would like to acknowledge the co-operation we have had from the Department for Social Development and the various Housing Associations. We look forward to building on those relationships to meet the challenges of the Housing Agenda for the coming years. We will continue to work closely with DOE Planning Service in our role to provide Housing Needs Assessments for Draft Area Plans and to secure land for social and affordable housing through the planning process. 3 Progress continues on our programmes to deliver shared future housing schemes in those areas where an interest has been identified. The Programme for Government refers to other areas of relevance to our work, including; urban and rural regeneration; independent living for vulnerable people; good relations; renewable energy; sustainable development and reducing the carbon footprint. During March 2008, The Minister for the Environment (Minister Foster) announced the Executive’s proposals for the Review of Public Administration. There is to be a reduction from 26 District Councils to 11 larger council areas and it was also announced that some housing related functions would be transferred from the Housing Executive to the new Councils. These will be: • Inspection and regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation • Unfitness inspections • Travellers transit sites • The Housing Executive will remain the Home Energy Conservation Authority for Northern Ireland. Councils will have the lead role in local initiatives. Finally, under the priority entitled “Delivering Modern High Quality and Efficient Public Services”, we are required to produce 5% savings on administration costs each year for the next three years and obtain an overall 3% efficiency saving per year. This is a challenging period but the Housing Executive remains committed to improving housing for everyone in Northern Ireland. Brian Rowntree Paddy McIntyre Chairman Chief Executive 4 Our Vision for Housing in Northern Ireland Our vision is one in which housing plays its part in creating a peaceful, inclusive, prosperous and fair society. We look to a society in which everyone will have: • The right to be housed with a real choice of decent, accessible and affordable housing options including shared future mixed housing in a diverse housing market; • A renewed and strong sense of place and community; • A sense of peace and well-being from living in a safe environment free from anti-social behaviour; • A home which is set in a clean and pleasant environment; • A home which is suitable to the individual’s needs; which is well designed, well maintained and is energy efficient; • A home which has access to appropriate infrastructure in terms of employment, transport, education, schools, shopping and recreation; • Empowerment to have a real voice in matters affecting their home and community and access to capacity building for disadvantaged groups to encourage meaningful participation; • Support where it is needed to promote independent living. The District Housing Plan is an important communication vehicle for local stakeholders and providers. Its purpose is to translate our vision and corporate objectives into a local housing strategy. 5 Mission Statement “Working together to ensure that everyone has access to a decent affordable home in a safe and healthy community” Core Values and Objectives Our Core Values are: Corporate Objectives: • Fairness and equity • Delivering the Decent Homes Standard • Integrity and honesty • Promoting independent • Openness and accountability living • Care for the environment • Fostering urban and rural regeneration • Responsiveness to our customers • Promoting affordable housing • Value for money • Building a stronger • Valuing and developing our community staff • Delivering better public • Innovation and creativity services 6 1.0 Introduction The Housing Executive believes that an effective strategic planning function is at the core of the delivery of good quality services, particularly when we enlist the support of partners to ensure that we all have access to a decent and affordable home in a sustainable community. We recognise that it is essential to understand the whole housing market in order to develop sound and robust Local Housing Strategies. This is why our strategic planning function extends beyond the pure landlord service. We recognise that issues such as affordable housing are better viewed on a holistic housing market basis. For this reason the Housing Executive is introducing a revised District Housing Plan format in 2008/09 which will include a more comprehensive Housing Market Analysis. The results of these assessments will be used to underpin our Local Housing Strategies throughout NI. This approach is guided by Central Government policy and best practice guide for strategic planning and Local Housing Strategy development (the Department for Communities and Local Government Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2007). The primary purpose of a Local Housing Strategy is to articulate a local direction for addressing the housing requirements, problems and opportunities of an area, taking into account national government policies and priorities. In general Local Housing Strategies should: • Demonstrate how housing issues and opportunities have been identified through an evidence-based approach; • Show how these issues and opportunities will be responded to strategically – through our Local Housing Strategies; • Demonstrate housing’s contribution to the Housing Executive’s wider Corporate Objectives, to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of residents in each area and contribute towards the achievement of sustainable