THE demolition of two tower blocks in South Belfast has been approved by the Department for Communities.
Both Belvoir House and Breda House in the Belvoir area are due to be demolished by 2025.
The Housing Executive has written to residents of the blocks telling them of the plans after they were approved.
It says that it will be in touch with tenants about their housing options and asking them what areas they would like to move to once they leave the tower blocks. It will also discuss what compensation residents may be entitled to.
Leaseholders are being asked to contact Land and Property Services.
Local DUP councillor Sarah Bunting said: "Residents will be receiving the letter over the coming days. These will be hand delivered by NIHE staff so if you have any questions and see them out delivering please feel free to ask them for advice.
"This means there will be no more properties allocated in these blocks.
"This next stage of rehoming the residents of Belvoir House and Breda House is likely to take some time and NIHE will be re-surveying residents regarding areas of choice and so on.
"I look forward to seeing proposed plans for properties to replace the lost homes in due course."
Alliance Balmoral Councillor Micky Murray expressed concerns over the lack of social housing across South Belfast.
“Tower blocks are not the standard of housing that we should be aspiring to, and the decision to demolish the blocks is welcomed," he said.
"Although, there are real concerns around the lack of social housing available in the South Belfast area.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen the demand for social housing rise, while the turnover of social housing has declined. This is largely due to the lack of security, standard of fitness, and high rent costs of private rental properties.
“Belvoir is a high area of choice for people on housing waiting lists, especially for those originally from the area. Many of the people currently living in these tower blocks will want to be rehoused in the immediate area, where their family and friends live, and where they have built their lives.
"However, realistically, the likelihood that they will be allocated a property in an area where there is currently little social housing available is low. This will be a real concern for those now finding themselves on the housing waiting list.
“There is work to be done to protect private renters and bring about a balance of power between housing providers and private renters.
"The constant anxiety that a landlord is going to end a tenancy or sell a property from under your feet is very real and causes undue stress, especially during a cost of living crisis when people can’t afford the additional costs of moving house, cancelling phone, tv, and broadband contracts, and paying reconnection fees.
“Equally, we shouldn’t be pushing people towards private rentals when the protections offered through social housing aren’t available to private renters.
"We need more investment in appropriate, financially sustainable and high-quality social housing."
