Limavady District Housing Plan 2011/12 - Northern Ireland Housing ...

LIMAVADY
3.5 Objective 4 – Promoting affordable housing
We are working in a number of ways to promote and widen the range of
affordable housing options. Details of programmes are shown in Appendix 3.
In the past year in Limavady:
• A programmed scheme at Tamlough Park, Ballykelly, for 12 general needs
social housing units did not commence in 2010/11 because of planning issues.
This scheme is now included in the 2011/12 draft Social Housing Development
Programme;
• We supplied DOE Planning Service with an annual housing needs assessment;
• We assisted in promoting private rented sector accommodation as an
affordable housing option;
• We finalised a joint protocol with Planning Service detailing procedures for
Housing Associations when applying to build social housing under Policy CTY 5
of Planning Policy Statement 21 - Housing in the Countryside;
• We continued to implement the House Sales Scheme, which provides an
opportunity for tenants to own their own home. The number of our tenants
availing of this scheme has dropped in recent years due to current housing
market conditions. During the past year there were 12 applications received;
11 offers made and three sales completed.
The Social Housing Development Programme is formulated using our housing need
assessments and strategic guidelines. The primary purpose of the guidelines is to
allocate programme share geographically on an equitable basis.
When formulating a housing mix for individual schemes we take into consideration
a number of factors such as household types, current stock, wheelchair users
needs, and where need has been identified, bespoke properties for those with
complex needs.
Details of year one of the draft Social Housing Development Programme
approved by the Board of the Housing Executive are shown in Appendix 3 and is
subject to the Department for Social Development’s approval.
In addition to the Social Housing Development Programme, an Unmet Housing
Need Prospectus will be published on our website. Further details of unmet need
by location can be obtained by clicking on the hyperlink
www.nihe.gov.uk/index/www_home/unmet_need_prospectus.htm.
There is also a search facility for the Social Housing Development Programme.
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