SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
He was speaking after MLAs backed an SDLP motion calling for a PLA to be established in the Assembly on Monday, with the DUP voting against.
Mr Durkan said: “Whatever excuses they may have tried to use in the Assembly today it is clear that the Executive does not have a credible plan to meet its housing targets.
“Following an SDLP proposal the Assembly backed our call to declare a housing emergency, but months on we are no further along, with nothing but a vague, but eye-catching promise to build 100,000 homes by 2039.
“The SDLP published our own proposals just last week to outline how we can build the social and affordable housing we need.
“Central to those plans is the establishment of a Public Land Agency to identify pockets of land across the North that can be used for major house building programmes.
“Our figures show that between 68,000 and 136,000 homes could be built if just 10–20% of the public estate were used for housing and that’s without including land owned by DAERA.
“That would make a huge difference to those on social housing waiting lists, or families struggling to save a deposit or pay their rent.
“This is the latest example in a string of positive proposals from the SDLP Opposition as we make good on our promise to be constructive.
“I welcome the acknowledgement from the majority of other parties that a Public Land Agency could change the face of housing in the North and we will be holding them accountable on delivering it.
“Everyone in the North deserves the dignity of a home of their own and we’ll continue to bring forward solutions to make that happen.”
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