BY MICHELE CANNING SMITH
THE CONTENTIOUS issue of derelict houses at Springhill is to be investigated by the Social Development Minister, thanks to the efforts of a local MLA.
Claire Mc Gill has secured a commitment from the Social Development Minister to urgently investigate the case of the derelict Executive properties on the Strabane estate.
The houses have been the subject of repeated arson and vandalism attacks which has resulted in the endangerment of families in the adjoining properties.
As highlighted in last week's Strabane Chronicle, one of the houses was set alight for the fourth time, leading to residents calling for their demolition or renovation.
Claire Mc Gill, Sinn Fein's Poverty Spokesperson, and member of the Social Development Committee, raised the issue at Stormont this week during a debate on the growing housing affordability crisis.
There are currently 558 applicants on the housing waiting list in the Strabane district and some 600 in the Omagh District Area.
Yet during the 2006-2007 financial year Strabane saw just nine new social housing units being built while in Omagh there was none.
According to the Executive there are 14 long term 'voids' in the district.
Ten of those are flats, which are available for allocation and the remaining four are houses, which are currently subject to a Strategy Review to determine their future use.
Sinn Fein has proposed to take immediate steps to tackle the scandal of vacant properties, recognising that this could go a long way to deal with the serious crisis which exists in the provision of social and affordable housing, highlighted by the Semple recommendations.
The MLA said, "The increasing lack of affordable housing and the adverse financial and social impact this is having on a growing number of families in both rural and urban areas of Strabane and Omagh districts must be addressed through a pro-active and time limited strategy by the Department of Social Development.
"Through property speculation, the growth of the buy-to-let market and Direct Rule Planning Policy PPS14, which has forced many young rural families into urban settings, the cost of homes is spiralling out of the reach of people, particularly first time buyers
"The lack of affordable housing is being compounded by the serious under provision of social housing and a private rented sector that is not providing good value for money.
"Following the debate the Minister requested the details of this serious issue in Springhill Park and has promised to urgently investigate the matter.
"Given the extent of the housing waiting list in this area this issue has to be elevated to a departmental level.
She added, "Similarly, there are in the thousands homes lying vacant across the six counties and the reclamation and redevelopment of even a proportion of this total would go along way to addressing the crisis in the availability of affordable and social housing.
Claire McGill says she welcomes the Minister's commitment to now set up an Inter-departmental group to tackle the growing housing affordability crisis, and her specific commitment to the MLA to urgently investigate the case of the derelict homes in Springhill Park which is an issue of utmost concern to the local community.
