Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins participated in a fireside chat at the Beyond '26 Live conference held in Cookstown on Wednesday, 04 March.

The event served as a platform for key industry figures involved in home construction to examine practical measures for overcoming barriers to housing delivery across the North.

The Minister highlighted that while there are no immediate remedies for current infrastructure issues—specifically wastewater capacity—significant progress has been made. To date this year, NI Water has been allocated more than £500 million in public funding, representing nearly 92% of its requested operational budget. Furthermore, £30 million in ringfenced funding has already unlocked wastewater capacity for 5,300 properties. This figure exceeds the 4,500 properties originally projected for the Price Control (PC) 21 period through to 2028.

Statistics shared at the conference revealed that the second quarter of 2025 saw the highest number of new house starts since 2018. Additionally, construction output in the North reached a 15-year peak during this timeframe, surpassing the performance of Britain.

Minister Kimmins outlined a three-pronged strategy to continue this momentum, focusing on securing further investment from Executive colleagues, reviewing developer contributions, and introducing legislation for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).

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Minister Kimmins said: "There are no quick fixes to the infrastructure challenges facing the north, particularly when it comes to wastewater capacity. Continued engagement with the house-building sector is essential to understanding delivery challenges and identifying practical next steps which is why I welcome these discussions today. So far this year NI Water has received over £500 million of public money, which is almost 92% of what they asked for to operate this year. My predecessor and I, through £30 million of ringfenced allocations, have already enabled the unlocking of wastewater capacity for 5,300 properties, which is above the 4,500 in Price Control (PC) 21 if it had been fully funded to 2028 and it is only 2026. The second quarter of 2025 has also seen the highest number of new house starts since 2018 and construction output has reached a 15-year high in the North in this period, outperforming Britain. Funding however is not the only answer - solutions lie in partnership working and innovative thinking and I continue to progress and deliver the three-pronged approach which includes securing more investment for wastewater infrastructure from Executive colleagues; considering the approach to developer contributions; and bringing in legislation to provide for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)."

Addressing the role of the planning system, the Minister noted that her Department is collaborating with local government—who handle over 99% of planning applications—to enhance long-term effectiveness and performance.

The Minister continued: "I also acknowledge the important role the planning system plays in supporting the delivery of sustainable development across the North. My Department continues to work in partnership with local government, who are responsible for the determination of over 99% of planning applications, and with key stakeholders through the planning improvement agenda with the aim of enhancing the performance and long-term effectiveness of the planning system in the North. These measures and initiatives aim to improve all aspects of the system, including the local development plan and development management processes, to help ensure development is facilitated as efficiently and effectively as possible, resulting in better outcomes for the house building sector."