News Release Page Title

18 September 2003

NORTHERN IRELAND HOUSING STATISTICS 2002-03

Recent housing trends in the Province are revealed in the ‘Northern Ireland Housing Statistics 2002-03’, a report covering the year ending March 2003, which was published today by the Department for Social Development.

Some key findings include:

  • There were approximately 669,100 dwellings in Northern Ireland at 31st March 2003, a rise of 9,200 (1pc) on March 2002.

  • Owner-occupied dwellings accounted for 477,800, i.e. 75pc of total occupied stock (633,900).

  • 9,088 residential planning applications were granted, an increase of 9.8pc on 2001-02.

  • 12,242 new dwellings were started during 2002-03, of which 95pc were commissioned by the private sector.

  • 16,426 households presented as homeless, a rise of 16pc on 2001-02.

  • Total number of Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenancies decreased from 110,039 at March 2002 to stand at 102,834 at 31st March 2003.

  • The number of dwellings sold by Northern Ireland Housing Executive rose by 22pc from the previous year to 6,156 for 2002-03.

  • 1,655 actions for mortgage possession were recorded for 2002-03, an increase of 7.5pc from the previous year.

  • The average price of new National House Building Council-registered houses sold during 2002-03 was £98,000, an increase of 10pc.

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 2002-03 are available on the Department for Social Development’s website at:
    6. www.dsdni.gov.uk/statistics-research/housing-statistics.asp.

  6. Further enquiries should be addressed to:

    7. 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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