THE Isle of Man government will invest ?130 million over the next five years in providing local authority housing, says the Minister for the Department of Social Care Martyn Quayle.

The statistic was revealed as a strong rebuke to Onchan MHK Peter Karran who this week made various unfounded allegations about the low standard of local authority housing.

Mr Quayle said he was issuing the figures to reassure the public regarding Government’s continued commitment to investing in affordable housing following public comments by Mr Karran.

 

“Having taken responsibility from 1st April as Minister for the new Department of Social Care which includes housing policy, I have been impressed with the level of activity and public investment in affordable housing for both public sector rental and first time buyers,” he said. 

“My Department, through its own capital programme and financial support for provision of local authority housing, is set to expend some ?130 million over the next five years.

“This investment is funding not only the refurbishment of many existing public sector rental properties but also the construction of additional new properties. Anyone who has seen the new properties which have been recently built, such as in Pulrose in Douglas or Janet’s Corner in Castletown, will know that we are providing high quality homes that are built to last.  This investment is also providing work for the Island’s construction industry.

 

“As well as this investment in public sector rental properties, my Department is building substantial numbers of new first time buyers properties. My Department’s House Purchase Assistance Scheme provides around ?3 million a year for first time buyers to purchase both publicly developed and privately developed properties up to a value of ?150,000 per property. The scheme has been well utilised and since 2002 some 1100 purchasers have received assistance to acquire their first homes.

“My Department is on course to meet its ambitious target for this year of completing 60 public sector rented housing units. I am delighted to report we are on course to exceed over target of 60 new first time buyer properties and expect that around 70 such properties will be made available this financial year.

“I am sure that many people in our community can readily see this is both a major financial commitment and a major achievement by my Department and this Government in what are challenging fiscal circumstances. We are committed to providing a good range of housing including affordable housing for many years to come.”