Speaking at a recent of Strabane District council meeting, NI Housing Executive Area Manager, Sean Mackie said that 71 new social homes had been planned for the next five years throughout Strabane District, including 19 in Church Street,nine in Sion Mills, six in Clady, 10 in Ballymagorry and the remainder in the Newtonstewart and Plumbridge areas.

Mr. Mackie said there had been an increased number of applicants registering on the waiting list over the past five years with a decreased number of allocations to social housing.

At the end of 2007, the number of applicants on the waiting list was 38,346, an increase of over 4,000 (11.6%) on the previous year. The number in housing stress also increased from 18,701 to 20,695.

“One area of particular concern is that the number of elderly people as a proportion of the population is increasing and this is reflected in our waiting list,” he said.

Mr Mackie said that his team had succeeded in their first year of managing the Social Housing Development Programme in partnership with the Housing Association movement, in delivering a total of 1,595 house starts against a target of 1,500. However he said this must be set against a need for 2,500 new social dwellings each year in Northern Ireland.

“This shortfall, combined with continuing difficulties for first time buyers getting on the first rung of home ownership ladder has added to the pressures on the waiting list for homes in the social rented sector.

“As ever, things do not stand still and we face some considerable challenges if we are to meet our objectives in the coming year,” he said.

Referring to this year’s District Housing Plan for Strabane, Mr. Mackie said: “The number of homes in Strabane District which do not meet the standard has decreased to 22.6% from 36% in 2001 and we are continuing to deliver the Decent Homes Standards by upgrading and improving existing social housing estates.

Mr. Mackie also revealed that subject to availability of finance, heating installation was planned for 108 homes in the District and kitchen modernisation in 121 homes in Carlton Drive.