THE HOUSING Executive has been accused of putting profits ahead of the needs of the community after it refused to sell three derelict houses to a Strabane community group, instead opting to put them on the open market.

Bidding on the three properties at Springhill Park closed yesterday (Wednesday) and are believed to have received offers somewhere in the region of £40,000 plus.

The move has incensed the Springhill community group - who recently voiced scepticism about the sale - so much so that this week they are compiling a file for the Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie.

Community activist Paul Gallagher told the Strabane Chronicle, "The Executive said at the outset that it had two objectives, to get rid of dereliction and that the houses were brought back into the housing stock.

"They are on the market and there is no guarantee that these objectives will be met."

In a bid to retain the properties as social housing, Springhill Community Centre put in a bid of £5,000 per house. Unfortunately for the community project the bid was rejected, and now they fear that the dilapidated buildings could remain in their current state for another ten years.

"The Executive said last week it wanted to widen the market, what was the purpose of that? The only reason they did this was to make as much profit as possible.

"Is Margaret Ritchie and her Department now putting money before the residents of Springhill Park as we can't get any guarantees that these houses will be developed immediately and brought back into a reasonable state.

"Any profit accrued by the Executive will not benefit the tenants of Springhill Park.

"If Margaret Ritchie is so determined to ensure that more housing stock is available to large numbers of homeless people then she needs to provide some guarantees to the residents and the community of Springhill.

Mr Gallagher added that the sale of the houses to a private landlord will only ensure that the Executive can absolve itself of any responsibility."