The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

More affordable housing must be provided in Northern Ireland - Alliance

11.51.16am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 20th Oct 2006

Portrait-yellow: JONES Mervyn (photography: Allan Leonard)

Belfast Alliance Councillor, Mervyn Jones

Alliance Party Spokesperson, Cllr Mervyn Jones has called on government to explore new ways of creating more affordable housing here. He highlighted the examples of keyworker housing and assistance in England as new ways of creating cheaper housing.

The Belfast City Councillor said: "Government must examine new ways to create more affordable housing in Northern Ireland. Radical thinking is needed on this issue as house prices here have move out of the range of many first-time buyers.

"Government must do more to help people make that first step onto the property ladder.

"In England they have keyworker housing and assistance schemes. They are about making affordable housing available to teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers and other key public sector workers. They do not qualify for social housing, but at the same time many do not earn enough to buy a property in certain areas.

"Keyworker assistance ensures that they can gain help with buying a house. It also ensures that people working in these professions can live in any area. It means that nurses who are needed to work in hospitals in areas of London where property is expensive can now live in those areas, instead of having to travel long distances to work. It ensures that all areas can attract key workers to work in their local schools and hospitals.

"Schemes like keyworker housing and assistance could be implemented in Belfast to alleviate housing problems. I call on government to examine these options as soon as possible."

ENDS

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