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Residents’ move into social housing delayed over speed bumps
Residents in Northern Ireland have been waiting months to move into new social housing because of delays installing speed bumps.
Building work at the new development, managed by St Matthew’s Housing Association, on McClure Street in south Belfast, completed at the end of March this year.
However despite the homes being ready, residents have been told they still cannot move into the new properties as the roadworks need to be finished first.
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St Matthew’s Housing Association said the works have not been completed because of “delays” with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).
The DfI admitted that the legal process around traffic-calming measures was not completed until June, but it said that the speed bumps are the responsibility of the developer to install.
Jim Black, chief executive of St Matthew’s, said: “There has been a delay in finalising the road traffic-calming measures for the project through DfI roads service processes, but ourselves and [Apex Housing Association] are working hard to ensure we complete the works in the coming weeks in order to allow tenants to move into their new homes as quickly as possible.”
A DfI spokesperson said: “As the highway authority, the department completed the consultation on the traffic-calming element of this new social housing development.
“The legislative process was completed on 24 June 2024 and the developer advised of the position. The installation of the traffic-calming is a condition within the planning consent and is the responsibility of the developer to install.
“The department will continue to work with the developer to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”
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