People are unable to move into a new social housing development in Derry due to concerns around drainage at the site.
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has called on both the Communities Minister and Infrastructure Minister to address delays impacting the handover of 98 homes at the new housing development on the Buncrana Road.
The site at Templemore Crescent and Faustina Terrace, which is overseen by Arbour Housing, cannot be discharged until the developer and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) agree to the discharge of planning conditions related to drainage infrastructure and ground stabilisation works.
The MLA for Foyle said: “With our dire housing situation and the desperate situations that many people and families are in, it is baffling and frustrating that there are 98 beautiful, brand-new houses at Templemore lying empty.
“I have raised this issue with both the Minister for Communities and Minister for Infrastructure. The reason for the delay, I’ve been told, is due to planning conditions not being discharged.
“I am calling for a cross-departmental and common sense approach and it is imperative that the relevant agencies work with the developer of the scheme to get these issues addressed and get these homes allocated.
“The apparent lack of urgency to do so is adding insult to injury for those waiting to be housed.”
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At present, NI Water estimates that 19,000 properties across Northern Ireland require capital intervention to proceed, which includes social housing projects.
Of those, 28% are in the Derry City & Strabane District Council area, 17% in Ards & North Down and 13% in Belfast, with lower numbers in other areas.
Homes in Derry.
Around 6,000 families and individuals in Derry are on the housing waiting list.
In response to an Assembly question, DfI Minister John O’Dowd said that as part of the pre-commencement conditions in the planning permission for this site, the developer was required to submit a detailed drainage and geotechnical design for approval prior to the commencement of any work.
“In this case, the developer chose to proceed at risk and submitted a Discharge of Condition application in February 2024, after the construction was well underway,” he added.
“My officials and our partner consultants have been liaising with the developer’s consultant for a number of months to agree the discharge of planning conditions related to drainage infrastructure and ground stabilisation works.
New social homes.
“A detailed response was provided to the developer on Friday, June 21, 2024, setting out the position and advising of the information required to progress the matter.
“The developer’s consultant has since proposed an engineering solution which requires the area in question to be surcharged and monitored for a period of 12 months, but has commenced these works without the necessary approvals from my department.
“As such, the conditions of the application cannot be discharged until this matter is resolved.”
Arbour Housing has been contacted for comment.