South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Maskey to meet Environment Minister Sammy Wilson

Published: 4 January, 2009

South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey is set to raise the HMO issue, as well as student accommodation and planning issues relevant to South Belfast, with Environment Minister Sammy Wilson.


Alex Maskey will be raising these issues at a meeting scheduled for Monday 12th January.


Speaking in advance of the meeting Alex Maskey MLA said,

"Last month I welcomed the announcement by Sammy Wilson that he is intent on dealing with the HMO issue and that a 10% cap has been placed on HMO development in most parts of Belfast but I also pointed out that this move did not go far enough and would not resolve the issue.


"The Minister failed to address the reality that the level of HMO's in many areas, particularly in South Belfast, is already well above the 10% and 30% limits.


The South Belfast MLA highlighted his concern that the Environment Minister's policy is an admission that he does not intend to try and reverse the high number of HMO's in many areas saying,

"I am concerned that Sammy Wilson's announcement is an admission on the part of his department that they do not see a way of reversing the high number of HMO's which exist in many parts of South Belfast. I have already raised a number of ideas that would help tackle this issue with Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie. The issue of student accommodation is also central to dealing with this issue and I have discussed this with both Minister Margaret Ritchie and representatives of Queens University, as I will be with Sammy Wilson.


"By being imaginative and working together with all of the relevant agencies, Departments, Universities and residents groups this issue can be resolved once and for all, to the benefit of all".


Turning to planning issues in South Belfast Mr Maskey said,

"Today's reality is that many property developers are now turning what would formally have been regarded as HMO's into apartments. This does not resolve the many problems associated with HMO's, it merely changes the name of the problem. What is more worrying is that it would appear that there are some within the Planning Service who are happy to go along with this deception. This must be tackled".


He concluded,

"The fact that the Environment Minister recognises that a problem exists, and has stated that he is committed to dealing with it is to be welcomed. What is required is a plan to tackle the proliferation of HMO's to reverse the number of HMO's which already exist in many parts of South Belfast. This requires a cross-departmental approach at Executive level. It requires dealing with the issue of student accommodation and with planning policy". CRÍOCH