A NORTH Belfast housing campaigner has made a renewed a call for potential development sites in the area to be made available for social housing.
Campaigner Frank Dempsey of Carrick Hill Residents' Association was speaking after plans were approved last week for social housing at the Adam Street site, located at the New Lodge/Tigers Bay interface. In July 2021, a loyalist bonfire at the site became the focus of political and community tensions, described as the "most contentious" bonfire in a North.
In recent years, several sites in nearby Carrick Hill which were originally earmarked for social housing were later used to develop student accommodation, with more on the way. Sites at Nelson Street, Fredrick Street and Donegall Street sites have all been lost to student accommodation.
Speaking to the North Belfast News, Frank believes the Carrick Hill area has been neglected and forgotten about.
"I welcome any new social housing, especially on the Adam Street site," he explained. "I am angry however because here in Carrick Hill, we are totally neglected. There are numerous vacant sites and not one has been developed for social housing.
"We have campaigned for years for the Department for Communities to vest sites here. We have seen sites earmarked for social housing turned into student accommodation.
"How much more student accommodation do we need? We need traditional family homes.
"What have we to do in this area? There are thousands of people on the housing waiting list yet these sites are getting brushed aside.
"Is the only way to get noticed to light a bonfire here? It is a total injustice.
"We have asked for meetings with previous Ministers in the Department for Communities and we will be asking the new Minister Gordon Lyons to come to Carrick Hill and we will show you the sites."
A Department for Communities spokesperson said: “The Minister has outlined the need for more social homes to be built across Northern Ireland. He emphasises that this requires a collaborative effort across government and is keen that his officials and the NI Housing Executive continue to engage with residents, communities and stakeholders to understand their needs.
“The Department for Communities continues to collaborate with Belfast City Council to bring forward city centre sites for development in line with our shared regeneration objectives.”
