Nigel Dodds at the back of a house in Queen Victoria Gardens
Housing situation is shameful, says Dodds
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By Michael McCready
Residents in an area in north Belfast are currently living in appalling
conditions and the lack of action to tackle the issue is harmful and
shameful, according to the local MP.
Nigel Dodds has called on the Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie to start to
seriously look at the issues of housing deprivation in the Queen Victoria
Gardens and Fortwilliam area.
However, Minister Ritchie accused Mr Dodds of ‘selective concern’.
Mr Dodds has been campaigning about the conditions in Queen Victoria Gardens
for many years, but says that “despite all of the warm words from the
Minister about meeting housing need the residents are left with years of
housing blight and simply unacceptable conditions”.
He said: “Residents are fed up with this situation. They are living in
appalling conditions. In the 21st century we have elderly people living with
no inside toilet facilities.
“At one end of Queen Victoria Gardens the backs have been completely ripped
out of the houses and youths are gathering in them and lighting fires.
Consequently the area is suffering from anti-social behaviour. It is
impossible for residents to continue in these conditions.
“There has been a harmful and, indeed, shameful lack of action. Does the
Minister believe that these people are not worthy of decent housing?
“It is a disgrace that at a time when Northern Ireland is looking to a
future which should bring greater prosperity that those responsible for
housing cannot get their act together and ensure that those in need have a
decent house to live in”
Minister Ritchie said: “He (Nigel Dodds) knows full well that urban
regeneration is inevitably a time consuming process which requires much
consultation and a steady approach.
“His comments are opportunistic.
“As MP for the area what he done to help improve housing?
“He would do better to look at the performance of his department.
“How many new jobs has he created to alleviate the chronic unemployment in
north Belfast?
“It is time he started to deliver on jobs. Mr Dodds should sign up for the
New Housing Agenda instead of exploiting local housing issues and throwing
cheap shots at others.”
A spokesman for NIHE said: "Queen Victoria Gardens is part of an Urban
Renewal Area. We’ve acquired seven properties in the area to provide a site
for private housing in Skegoneill Avenue. We’ve agreed with the DSD to
review the remainder of the proposed urban renewal area to take into account
changing market conditions. This is treated as a matter of urgency."
