Londonderry: Tenants anger over home move-in date delay

A protest was held outside the Guidlhall ahead of a Derry City and Strabane District Council meeting on Tuesday

Some tenants of a social housing development in Londonderry have said they are "living out of boxes" after their move-in date was pushed back.

Tenants were given an initial date to move into Woodlands Avenue, but that has been delayed.

Apex Housing Association has said that is due to a clause which requires the development to have an open space.

It said that is the responsibility of the council, which has said it is working to resolve the issue.

The open space has to include a play park and allotments.

Some residents held a protest outside the Guildhall in Derry ahead of a council meeting to discuss the issue on Tuesday.

"I am angry because I have been waiting so long for a new house," Patricia Kelly told the BBC Radio Foyle's The North West Today.

"I was expecting to get my keys and move in on 15 November and move into the house by 20 November, but I got a phone call from Apex to say that's changed to the 1st or 2nd of December.

"We are living out of boxes now, that's basically how we are living."

Patricia Kelly pictured at the protest outside the Guildhall holding pictures of damp in her current home

Victoria Campbell said she and her three children were supposed to move into a house last Wednesday.

"Two weeks before we were to get the keys they then told us that nothing was going to go ahead.

"I had already told the playschool my son was in that he was moving and they took him out of the school because they had to free up a space - he is now without school for four weeks."

Victoria Campbell says herself and her three children are still waiting to move into the development

Apex Housing said the requirement for an open space with a play park "forms part of a planning condition, which has resulted in a delay in handing over a portion of the remaining homes".

"We are working closely with the council to overcome this issue and aim to hand over the remaining homes in early December," a spokesperson said.

They added that 20 new homes had already been handed over to families.

BBC News NI understands that about 18 homes that have been allocated to prospective tenants are not yet currently inhabited.

In total, the new housing development will have 46 properties at the site.

'Committed to resolving outstanding issues'

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said it was committed to "resolving any outstanding issues to ensure people are in their homes as soon as possible".

At the meeting on Tuesday, the committee voted unanimously in favour of recommending that the council apologises to residents affected.

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said the council needed to find out how the situation had arisen in the first place.

A special council meeting will be held on 13 November.

On Wednesday, independent councillor Gary Donnelly told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today that the people who were unable to move into their new homes were "living a nightmare".

"The question should be asked who made the decision, the decision to remove the open space aspect of the contract from the contractor," he said.

"We need to find out why this was done. This is going to be very damaging for council not only reputation-wise, but also financially".