Call for new Creggan house-building project

He was making his comments after figures from the Housing Executive confirmed that in Waterloo Place area there are currently over 1,200 applicants on the housing waiting list, with just 178 allocations in 2016 -2017.

Requests for transfers, meanwhile, are sitting at 363 with just 72 allocations.

Councillor Campbell said: “We have seen in recent years the building of the Ballymagown and Magowan Park, which gave many families on the waiting list for this area a new modern home.

“But I was shocked to read recently that there are still over 1,200 people on the housing list for the Waterloo Place District.”

Colr. Campbell said it was vital more land was secured in the Creggan region to facilitate future development.

“I believe it’s of paramount importance that the Housing Executive and Housing Associations continue to look for all available lands on the boundaries of Creggan that could possibly be used for new housing projects,” he said.

“In those projects I believe that there should be a good mix of different types of housing provision, with the building of bungalows.

“In many instances there are older members of the Creggan community who are living in three and four bedroom houses, they want to move into bungalows but can’t do so because the accommodation is simply not there. These houses could be freed up for young families on the waiting lists.”