Debate contribution: Social and Affordable Housing: East Belfast

Debate contribution by Ms Joanne Bunting on 3 June 2025.

MLA

Ms Joanne Bunting

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

3 June 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Social and Affordable Housing: East Belfast

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4986139

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss this topic in an Adjournment debate. It is a subject of great import in my constituency of East Belfast. I am grateful to the Minister for Communities for his attendance this afternoon and look forward to hearing what he has to say on the subject. First, it is my privilege to represent the constituency in which I was born and raised. I take that responsibility seriously and do not take lightly the trust that was placed in me by the electorate. I am immensely proud of my part of the city and all that it has to offer. East Belfast is a superlative place in which to live, work, visit and raise a family. It is extremely safe and has superb schools, beautiful restaurants and excellent cafes and takeaways. In East Belfast, although you are in the city, you are only ever minutes away from parks in the country. The city centre is easily and quickly accessible, and there are reasonably decent transport links. There are greenways and plenty of local and varied shops, including artisan shops. East Belfast has a strong culture of close-knit communities, and it has active churches and community groups, many sports clubs and a hospital. Thus, it is a highly desirable location. Of course people want to live there; why would they not? That has always been the case in East Belfast, and, as a result, there have always been extensive waiting lists for housing there. Whilst it is a vibrant and diverse constituency that is rich in community spirit, heritage, historical significance and resilience, there is no denying the very real challenges that we face when it comes to meeting the housing needs of our people. Housing issues comprise by far the largest aspect of my casework. All types of homes are needed, but it goes beyond that, because there also issues with quality, maintenance and schemes. Four years ago, I secured a similar debate on housing in East Belfast. Since then, little has changed. Indeed, with the demise of the tower blocks and the fact that so many of those who were displaced are seeking to remain in East Belfast, the situation will not be resolved easily or quickly. In that previous debate on the subject, I stated:

"Day in, day out, my office is contacted by constituents seeking housing support, as individuals, families and those with disabilities continue to struggle with their housing situation ... My staff and I hear in detail about the way in which individuals are expected to live in accommodation that does not fit or address their needs, how families are forced to live apart or in cramped conditions"

— or damp conditions, with mould —

"and how people sofa surf between family members and friends. We hear from those who will endure almost anything to avoid having to go to a hostel with their children or, in the worst-case scenario, who simply have nowhere to turn and end up living in their cars or on the streets." — [Official Report (Hansard), 19 October 2021, p68, col 2].

The common thread to all those stories is the significant shortage of suitable and affordable housing. Those comments are as true today as they were then. =

The root of the housing crisis in East Belfast stems from a lack of affordable housing and a legacy of Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) stock being sold off and not replaced in similar numbers. In the nearly 20 years between 2004 and 2023, despite the fact that a significant number of people sought homes in the east and were on waiting lists for them, in the development of social housing, East Belfast fell behind the three other Belfast constituencies. It lagged massively behind North Belfast and West Belfast in particular. The figures that the Housing Executive provided are stark: in East Belfast, 1,734 homes were developed; in South Belfast, there were 1,880; in West Belfast, there were 3,694; and, in North Belfast, there were 4,036. I remind Members that the number for East Belfast is 1,734. In only one year in that 20-year period were more houses built in East Belfast than in the rest of Belfast. In 2021, East Belfast got 57 houses, South Belfast got 23, West Belfast got 31 and North Belfast got 36. Hence, I very much look forward to the day when the Housing Executive is once more permitted to borrow to build. I know that no one has pushed harder for that than Minister Lyons, and I trust that his efforts on that will be rewarded imminently by His Majesty's Treasury. I also welcome his scoping exercise, which was done alongside Belfast City Council, to identify and evaluate potential sites for housing development. It must be borne in mind that multiple factors contribute to the lack of affordable housing, which, in turn, increases the need for social housing. House prices are rising, making it increasingly difficult for people to afford home ownership. People are being priced out. East Belfast is one of the most expensive places in Northern Ireland in which to buy. Many of the homes that are built there are beyond the reach of a considerable number of people, as the escalating costs of building are passed on to the consumer. East Belfast is in demand, and demand increases the asking price. That is the market. More people than ever are renting privately, but private rentals can be expensive and unstable, resulting in constant worry about eviction and, sometimes, relatively short-term tenancy agreements. Furthermore, there are private landlords who will not accept tenants who are in receipt of housing benefit, thus adding to the number of obstacles for some people to overcome. Homelessness is on the rise. Many people are being forced out of their home altogether. Those individuals might have to wait a considerable time for suitable accommodation, but, in the meantime, they have nowhere to go. Furthermore, the issue is not simply about the number of houses but about the right kind of homes in the right places that are built to meet the real and changing needs of our communities. Those needs include homes that are energy-efficient and accessible, that can help families to thrive and that reflect the make-up of East Belfast. Infrastructure is at capacity, and planning is slow. East Belfast is already considerably built-up, so there is limited space on which to build. The biggest development opportunities in the past number of years have been in Dundonald, where several new private housing developments have been established. However, many of those houses could not be classed as affordable homes. NI Water advises that the area is pretty much at capacity, and that impacts on planning decisions and time frames for building. Frankly, the roads are no better. Getting through Dundonald at rush hour is not a pretty picture. Some might say, "Use public transport. Get the Glider", but even the park-and-ride facilities in East Belfast are full. Planning and infrastructure are not the Minister's problem, but they exacerbate the housing issue and the demand for social housing. I will touch on housing associations and then turn to allocations. My office receives multiple complaints from tenants who indicate that their housing association is not fulfilling its responsibility as a landlord in maintenance and improvement schemes. Across East Belfast, members of residents' groups with which I am involved regularly express their frustration that, whilst NIHE tenants receive support from bathroom, kitchen and window schemes, their home is left with draughty windows and bathrooms and kitchens that either have problems that have not been properly addressed or that are well over 20 years old and in desperate need of replacement. That includes people who are on full rents. It is not acceptable. Moreover, numerous tenants indicate that service standards are falling or that work on outdoor maintenance and keeping developments in good condition is minimal. I will express my sympathy and frustration for rather than at the Housing Executive where allocations are concerned, because, regardless of a problem tenant's track record, it is obliged to rehouse them. Thus, there are repeat offenders who move perpetually from place to place, leaving a trail of mayhem and, often, destruction in their wake. That is reprehensible. Due care should be taken over allocations and the damage that such people can do. Problem tenants can completely change the character and reputation of an area and make life pure misery for people who live there. In some cases in East Belfast, the Department for Communities and other government agencies have spent many millions working alongside residents to help them improve and regenerate their locality, only for a few reprobates to be assigned to housing in the vicinity. The peace is then shattered, the reputation is lost, and those stable and long-term residents are tortured and become afraid, watching the place that they love degenerate. I so wish that the Housing Executive had sharper teeth and lower thresholds to deal with people who wilfully, deliberately and defiantly misbehave and wreak havoc for fun. Before I take my seat, I express my gratitude to Paul McCombe, Gary Ballantyne and all the patch managers who are helpful and treat their work as a calling, not forgetting the legend that is Carole Johnston, who has just retired. We wish her well. We are immensely grateful to you for all that you do and the constructive and productive way in which you work with us to help people in communities. I also thank those in East Belfast who provide housing and accommodation for people who struggle to garner any points and require additional help with their circumstances and to rebuild their lives. I think particularly of MindWise and the East Belfast Mission. I stress that the housing issue is not simply about the provision of bricks and mortar. Housing is foundational. It is about dignity, health, education and community cohesion. A secure and stable home is the starting point for employment, well-being, family life, prospects and hope. When we get housing right, we reduce pressure on our health and social services, improve educational and justice outcomes and build stronger, more connected communities. I know that the Minister gets that and will consider options to address some of the long-term problems. The housing aspects of his statement yesterday are immensely welcome. He is deeply committed to addressing homelessness and increasing the housing supply, amongst the many other housing initiatives and targets that he announced yesterday. I congratulate him on his vision, determination and successes thus far and look forward to hearing from him on how his proposals may impact on East Belfast. He is well aware that ambition is important but so is delivery. My constituents in East Belfast live in hopeful expectancy.

1,803 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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