The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

Leonard calls for Holy Land moratorium

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 29th Nov 2004

Alliance Spokesperson for Laganbank, Allan Leonard, has today called for the Minister responsible for planning, Angela Smith, to place a moratorium on the conversion of family dwellings to housing of multiple occupancy (HMO) in the Holy Lands area of South Belfast.

Mr Leonard said: "I welcome the announcement that from today, developers do not have the automatic right to convert a family home to a student accommodation. The uncontrolled overdevelopment by such conversions has significantly contributed to the current crisis in the Holy Lands.

"Yet today's announcement only means that developers have to apply to create an HMO.

"I have written to Mrs Smith, demanding that she declare a moratorium to any new HMO in the Holy Lands.

"A freeze on HMOs would help thaw the poor relations between students and long-term residents in this area of South Belfast."

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