Housing campaigners have said the Catholic Church and Housing Executive should be ‘ashamed of themselves’ after the way was cleared to sell off land earmarked for social housing.
The former St Kevin’s Parochial Hall site has been on the market since last year.
Housing campaigners have previously called for the site, located on the junction of North Queen Street and Federick Street, to be made available for social housing amid claims the Catholic Church has put a £2m price tag on the property.
North Belfast currently suffers from a chronic social housing shortage.
Frank Dempsey of Carrick Hill Residents’ Association at the Former Kevin’s Hall site.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Last year, the Irish News revealed that the Catholic Church was given a 10,000-year lease on the site in 1985; however, the Housing Executive retained a freehold interest in the 0.6-acre parcel of land.
The Housing Executive previously said it did not put the St Kevin’s site, which was managed by St Patrick’s Church parish, on the market, adding the seller is required under the lease to seek written consent from it.
However, in a statement, the executive confirmed it has now agreed to lift any covenants linked to the potentially lucrative land.
“After legal advice, we have agreed, in principle, to lift the restrictive covenants on the former site of St Kevin’s Hall in north Belfast,” a spokesman said.
“We are currently dealing with this via our internal approval processes.”
The spokesman added that the executive supports “the provision of social housing at this site” adding that “no viable social housing proposal has been brought forward for it, despite housing associations exploring potential developments there”.
The spokesman added that the executive “explored all options open” to it and met with the current leaseholder”.
Fr Eddie Magee, Diocese of Down and Connor spokesman said the leasehold has not been sold.
“The parish continues to explore a number of proposed plans for this site, including the sale of the leasehold,” he said.
Fr Magee added that “in accordance with the stated aims and objectives of the Down and Connor Diocesan Trust, proceeds of any sale of parish property will seek to address outstanding parish debts and enable the parish to allocate funds for parish improvements and provide effective sacramental and pastoral provision to its parishioners”.
Energy infrastructure firm SONI has previously expressed an interest in the landmark site.
The company, which works closely with Northern Ireland Electricity Networks, develops, operates and manages the local grid.
It said the St Kevin’s site is one of a “number of locations” being considered for a substation in north Belfast.
“Any site that is selected will be subject to a community consultation and the full planning process,” it said.
Frank Dempsey, from Carrick Hill Residents’ Association, who recently met with SONI, was critical of the church and Housing Executive.
“Shame on the Catholic Church and the Housing Executive,” he said.
“Here we have a housing wating list in north Belfast and here we have a parish of St Patrick’s with a housing waiting list bursting at the seams.
“And the Catholic Church seems fit to sell off this site that didn’t belong to them, it was leased to them.”
On the Housing Executive he added:
“For the Housing Executive’s part, their war cry is about the need for social housing in north Belfast – here was this site and not only do they surrender it to the Catholic Church, they endorsed it by saying they had no further interest in the site and have lifted their covenant on the site,” he said.