To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) action she has taken to investigate the potential for social or private housing on a 4.9-acre site on the Ballywillan Road in Portrush, that is adjacent to the future site of the new Mill Strand Integrated Primary School; and (ii) other potential sites she has identified in Portrush for this purpose.

The site on the Ballywillan Road is contained within the development limits of Portrush, and the Housing Executive have advised they would support a suitable scheme at this location in principle to address housing need in Portrush.

The Housing Executive’s North Place Shaping team has received preliminary enquiries from several housing associations regarding support for the development of c. 60 new social homes on the Ballywillan Road, Portrush. Therefore, it is expected that, at this stage, housing associations are carrying out initial feasibility work to review the potential to bring forward new social homes at this location through the Social Housing Development Programme (SHDP).

A further two sites at Glenmanus Road (15 units) and Parker Avenue (1 unit) are programmed to start in 2022/23 as part of the current Social Housing Development Programme (SHDP).

Please note that programmed schemes can be lost or slip to future programme years for a variety of reasons e.g. relating to delays in acquiring sites and/or failure to secure Planning Approval. Additional schemes can also be added to the SHDP ‘in-year’ through Competitive Land, Design & Build procurement route and/or the purchase of Existing Satisfactory / Off-the-Shelf properties.