More social homes needed for Omagh and rural communities - McCrossan

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan has called for more social homes to be built in Omagh and surrounding rural communities, after a Housing Executive report highlighted the gap between local need and planned provision.

The Fermanagh and Omagh Housing Investment Plan records 827 applicants on the waiting list for Omagh town, including 586 households in housing stress.

It identifies a need for 335 new social homes between 2025 and 2030. However, the completed, on-site and future schemes listed for Omagh account for 174 homes.

“These figures reflect what we are seeing in our office. People are struggling to find somewhere suitable to live, private rents are putting pressure on families and there simply aren’t enough social homes becoming available.

“The new homes at Coolnagard and Mountjoy Road are very welcome. We need more developments like these, because the programme set out in this report falls well short of the Housing Executive’s own assessment of what Omagh needs.

“If 335 new social homes are needed, and the schemes listed account for 174, the obvious question is where the rest are going to come from,” he said.

He added he was also concerned about the position in our smaller towns and villages.

“The report identifies a need for new homes in Fintona, Gortin, Carrickmore, Beragh and Sixmilecross, and Drumquin, but no schemes are listed for these communities in the on-site or future programme. People should have a reasonable chance of finding a home close to their family, their work and their children’s school.

“I will be asking the Communities Minister and Housing Executive what additional schemes they intend to bring forward, when work will begin and whether the funding is in place. People waiting for a home deserve a clear answer about what is being done.”