NI Housing Executive plans integrated housing

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is to work on two pilot projects for integrated housing, it confirmed today.

However chief executive Paddy McIntyre told the ‘Shared Responsibility for a Shared Space’ conference the issue of safety would govern any decision on the projects which would see Protestants and Catholics living side by side.

“If we are to meet housing need in all its forms we must work to make progress on integrated housing,” Mr McIntyre said.

“We need to develop models of integrated housing for those people who choose to live in a mixed neighbourhood.”

It is estimated 400 families of a mixed background are on the Housing Executive’s waiting list.

The Executive has vowed to work with the North's Department of Social Development, housing associations and others to bring forward proposals for two pilot integrated projects.

There are also plans to team up with Habitat for Humanity to bring back to life vacant properties in Omagh.

Mr McIntyre said while the location of the shared housing projects had yet to be decided, his officials did not believe they could be imposed.

“This is about offering applicants a real choice,” he said.

“It is not about socially engineering communities or neighbourhoods.

“Trust and safety will ultimately dictate the pace of change and therefore the expectations of any policy must be realistic.”