North Down - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Housing market statistics
• According to Census 2011, North Down
comprises 33,255 households with ‘usual
residents’;
• With 75.6% of households owning their
property in North Down, owner
occupation is more prevalent than in
Northern Ireland, where the equivalent
figure is 67.5%;
• The private rented sector houses 13% of
households in North Down, compared with 15% across Northern Ireland;
• The proportion of social housing in the borough (9.9%) is less than the Northern
Ireland figure of 14.9% (Source Census 2011);
• The University of Ulster’s Quarterly House Price Index records the average house
price in North Down Borough as £195,662 during 2012. This represents an increase
of 24.3% on the previous year and is above the Northern Ireland average of
£138,147. Given the low sales base, caution should be exercised when
interpreting these figures. Local estate agents report that house prices remained
largely static during 2012;
• At March 2013, the Housing Executive owned 2,694 properties in North Down,
having sold 2,928 properties since the introduction of the House Sales Scheme;
• There is a projected requirement for a further 770 units of social housing in North
Down between March 2012 and March 2017;
• At December 2012, there were 2,354 applicants registered on the waiting list for
social housing in Bangor District; 1,167 (49.6%) were in housing stress;
• Annual allocations rose to 254 in the
During 2012/13, 782 people presented
year ending December 2012, helping
as homeless, 384 (49.1%) of whom were
to narrow the gap between demand
awarded Full Duty status.
and supply in the borough;
• Economic uncertainty continues to impact the housing market in North Down.
Affordability remains an issue for first time buyers who continue to experience
difficulties in securing mortgage finance;
• House price adjustment is still ongoing, particularly at the higher end of the
housing market. A dramatic increase in the volume of transactions is not
expected over the next 12 months;
• The private rented sector is robust, with high demand for good quality rentals.
Private housing benefit claims continue to increase, though there is evidence of
singles under 35 leaving the sector due to the increase in the age limit for the
Shared Room Rate of Local Housing Allowance;
• The impact of welfare reform on waiting lists is difficult to predict, although there
is concern the supply of one bed accommodation is insufficient to meet
demand. As a result, the Housing Executive promotes the development of a
minimum 200 units by housing associations in each year of the SHDP 2013 – 2016.
5