A north Belfast pressure group is to hold a protest in the city this weekend to demand a tougher government stance on homelessness.

The march will take place in Custom House Square on Sunday, and is designed to raise concerns about the allocation of housing in the north Belfast area.

North Belfast Civil Rights Association Chairman Peter McIlroy said he believes ongoing government strategies to boost social housing are failing.

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He told the Irish News: "Housing stress has long plagued working-class areas in north Belfast."

Mr McIlroy claimed 83% of people on the Housing Executive waiting list are from his community, and argued "it is clear that there is no strategy for alleviating housing stress, save the option of high-rise flats".

"High-rise flats have been proven to be detrimental to family living and seriously diminishes the quality of life for families," Mr McIlroy said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Social Development said Minister Margaret Ritchie had launched a series of packages to combat social housing problems earlier this year.

(PR/JM)