27 September 2002

NORTHERN IRELAND HOUSING STATISTICS 2001-02

Recent trends in housing in the Province are revealed in ‘Northern Ireland Housing Statistics 2001-2’, a report covering the year ending March 2002 which was published today by the Department for Social Development.

Some of its key findings include:

1. There were approximately 655,000 dwellings in Northern Ireland at 31 March 2002, a rise of 6,000 (1%) on March 2001.
2. Owner-occupied dwellings accounted for 464,500-ie.75% of total occupied stock (621,000).
3. 8,280 residential planning applications were granted, an increase of 2.6% on 2000-01.
4. 12,862 new dwellings were started during 2001-02, of which 94% were commissioned by the private sector.
5. 14,164 households presented as homeless, a rise of 12% on 2000-01.
6. Total number of Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenancies decreased slightly from 116,328 at March 2001 to stand at 110,039 at 31 March 2002.
7. The number of dwellings sold by Northern Ireland Housing Executive fell by 10pc from the previous year to 5,061 for 2001-02.
8. 1,540 actions for mortgage possession were recorded for 2001-02, a reduction of 201 from the previous year.
9. The average price of new National House Building Council-registered houses sold during 2001-02 was £90,000.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Northern Ireland Housing Statistics is produced annually by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development. The publication contains information on housing stock, housing market activity, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Housing Associations and the private rented sector. Provisional and revised figures are indicated by ^(P) and ^(R)
2. Data for new house sales and price are derived from transactions for new private sector and Housing Associations dwellings notified by solicitors to the National House Building Council (NHBC).
3. Details of all new housing starts for the private sector are supplied by the Building Control Offices for each of the 26 district council areas. Data for the social rented sector are provided by NIHE and the Housing Associations Branch of the Department for Social Development
4. For the purposes of this publication, the terms ‘house’ and ‘dwelling’ are interchangeable and can be defined as ‘a self-contained unit of accommodation, having all amenities available to each household (own kitchen, bathroom, toilet) regardless of shared entrance). A ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’ will, therefore, comprise ‘either one self-contained household space or a number of non self-contained household spaces’.
5. Key facts from Housing Statistics 2001-02 are available on the Department for Social Development’s website at: www.dsdni.gov.uk/statistics-research.
6. Further enquiries should be addressed to:

   Statistics & Research Branch
   Department For Social Development
   Block 4.3, Castle Buildings
   Stormont
   Belfast BT4 3SJ
   Telephone 028 9052 2767
   Fax 028 9052 2763
   E-mail ann.trew@dsdni.gov.uk

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