Significant progress on Rural Newbuild

04 August 2011

The Housing Executive has launched its “Rural Homes and People” Annual Report for 2010/11, which outlines that 302 new social homes were commenced in the last year.

Acting Chief Executive, Stewart Cuddy said,

“In November 2009, we published our Rural Action Plan which set out what we hoped to do across rural Northern Ireland.

“There is much to be pleased about in the report, not least the achievement of 302 rural social new build starts. This is the highest number recorded in the last 10 years, far surpassing the previous highest return (185 units in 2009/10).

“Considerable efforts were made across the Housing Executive to promote rural new build and guidelines were established and monitored to ensure that need was being met across all rural areas as far as budgets would allow.

“The Housing Executive would like to acknowledge the hard work put in to achieve this goal, not only by our own staff but by Housing Associations and the local communities who do so much hard work alongside their statutory partners to make these schemes become a reality.

“The community theme continues in many of the other achievements detailed in the report with many actions being made possible due to their commitment including:

• Work with Rural Community Network and the Rural Residents’ Forum.


• Building on our links with the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster which resulted in a housing guide for rural young people being launched.


• A joint event with the Young Farmers promoting renewable energy options and energy conservation.


• Monitoring how our services are rolled out in rural areas.
”

Concluding, Stewart Cuddy said,

“We continue to be faced with the challenge of the recession and its impact on public finances. We realise that tough decisions may need to be made in the coming year; however, in spite of this we continue to keep the needs of people at the heart of the decision making process and can hopefully continue to build stronger, more vibrant and sustainable rural areas, with the ongoing support of other agencies and local communities across Northern Ireland.”

To view the Action Plan 2011 please click here.

[Pictured are Michael Hughes (CEO, Rural Community Network), Stewart Cuddy (Chief Executive (Acting), Housing Executive) and Martin Mc Donald (Chief Executive, Rural Development Council)]