Planning approval for new social housing in part of North Belfast has been welcomed as a step to help combat huge waiting lists.
Eleven apartments will be built at the Parkside development off the Limestone Road in conjunction with Newington Housing Association.
There was an initial delay in planning permission for these new apartments, with Belfast City Council's Planning Committee delaying the decision at a meeting in March 2022. This was due to various issues including a lack of outdoor space.
Read more: North Belfast social housing block delayed over lack of outdoor space
The plans for a new two and a half storey social housing residential building with new landscaping, access, and parking at 29 Parkside Gardens has been welcomed. However, it has been acknowledged as a "drop in the ocean" due to the demand for housing in the area.
There are currently almost 3,000 people in this area on a housing waiting list. Councillor Carl Whyte, who is chair of the council's Planning Committee, said further social housing schemes were needed to address the wider housing crisis in North Belfast.
He said: "I welcome that these much-needed apartments have been given the go-ahead after an initial delay. When built these apartments will provide suitable homes for people who are suffering due to the huge housing crisis gripping the North and North Belfast in particular.
"Through my work as a councillor I have met many families in North Belfast who are struggling to obtain decent housing. We currently have nearly 3,000 people in this area stuck on a housing waiting list, with over 2,000 in housing stress and if we are ever going to get to grips with this issue and tackle these waiting lists we will need more social housing schemes of this nature.
"While these apartments will provide eleven homes for people that need them, it does not escape me that this a drop in the ocean given the demand for housing in this area. We need to see the Minister, Department & Housing Executive prioritise the building of more social housing in North Belfast and across the North so that people are not left languishing for years on waiting lists."
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has identified North Belfast as the area of greatest need. By the end of 2021, the waiting list for North Belfast was 2,906 applicants, of which 2,224 were housing stress applicants.
There were only 453 allocations in the past year. Singles and small families account for 75 percent of the waiting list.
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