A group of Northern Ireland home builders has formed a new organization called Build Homes NI to address the growing housing crisis. They blame decades of underfunding for the region's wastewater infrastructure, leading to a decrease in new home construction, record levels of homelessness, and environmental damage.
A group of Northern Ireland 's home builders have joined forces to launch a new organization dedicated to addressing the escalating housing crisis , which they attribute to the region's failing wastewater infrastructure. Build Homes NI asserts that decades of underfunding Northern Ireland 's wastewater system constitute a political failure, giving rise to a multifaceted crisis encompassing social, environmental, and economic dimensions.
The group points to the chronic inadequacy of wastewater infrastructure as the primary culprit behind a 60-year low in new home completions and a surge in homelessness to record levels. They further contend that the dilapidated state of NI Water's infrastructure is detrimental to the environment and hampers broader economic growth. The group actively encourages public participation in their campaign aimed at increasing the number of homes constructed in Northern Ireland. James Fraser, Director of Fraser Partners, one of Northern Ireland's largest home builders, commented, “For years, home builders have cautioned that persistently underfunding NI Water would have dire consequences. We now find ourselves grappling with a housing and environmental crisis that, in the absence of viable solutions from the Executive, will only worsen. 'Housebuilders are eager to construct homes, but year after year, the number of viable locations for construction dwindles. Developers are prepared to contribute more financially, but this is only feasible for the largest private developments. 'Localized solutions funded by developers amount to a temporary fix. This approach will effectively create a water charge based on a postcode lottery, rendering social housing schemes unaffordable. If this is the Executive's primary proposal, it will undoubtedly fail. Northern Ireland's wastewater infrastructure is facing a systemic failure that demands a comprehensive, system-wide solution. Only the Executive possesses the necessary means to tackle this crisis.”It is estimated that less than 5,000 new homes were completed in Northern Ireland last year. As the supply of new homes has diminished, the number of households on social housing waiting lists has soared to a record 47,000, including 14,000 who have been waiting for over five years. The number of households in temporary accommodation has more than doubled in just five years. NI Water, funded by the Department for Infrastructure, has identified 100 areas across Northern Ireland where wastewater infrastructure is impeding development. At a meeting of Stormont's Infrastructure Committee in November 2022, NI Water officials confirmed that they anticipate a funding shortfall of up to £1 billion from the NI Executive between now and 2027. This addition to a £700 million funding gap between 2015-2021. Paul McErlean, Director of Build Homes NI, stated, “Northern Ireland's wastewater infrastructure is simply inadequate for its purpose. This is a direct consequence of decades of underfunding by the Northern Ireland Executive. 'It's no coincidence that home building is at a 60-year low while homelessness reaches record levels and Northern Ireland house price inflation is double the UK average. Homes are becoming increasingly unaffordable to buy or rent, pricing an entire generation of young people out of the market. 'NI Water's aging infrastructure is polluting our rivers and beaches, and the economic cost is staggering. In the housing sector alone, there are over 16,500 homes valued at £3 billion that cannot be built, while a further 55 manufacturing and hospitality projects have been shelved or relocated elsewhere. 'Enough is enough. Years of willful underfunding have created a chaotic situation that affects everyone in Northern Ireland. Homebuilders are ready and willing to contribute, but we need the Executive to fulfill its responsibilities and provide leadership, along with a proper funding model for NI Water.” Build Homes NI's founding members include Alskea, Antrim Construction, Beechview Developments, Braidwater Group, Fraser Partners, Hagan Homes, Lagan Homes, Lotus Homes and McGinnis Group. In recent years, they have been involved in over 100 new housing developments across Northern Ireland, delivering thousands of new build social, affordable, and private homes each year. The group aims to expand its membership to other organizations within the housing sector and provide evidence-based research to guide policy discussions. Information on how to join Build Homes NI's campaign to construct more homes is available online at buildhomes-ni.com.
Housing Crisis Wastewater Infrastructure Northern Ireland Home Builders Build Homes NI Homelessness Social Housing NI Water Underfunding Economic Growth
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