Sinn Féin MLA Willie Clarke has called on Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie to give a clear and definitive timescale for new build social housing projects in the south Down area.

Speaking at Ministerial Question Time Mr Clarke said: "There are currently high levels of housing stress in areas of South Down including Downpatrick, Newcastle and Castlewellan."

The MLA claimed people in these towns seeking accommodation are questioning him on a daily basis when the social housing, promised by Ms Ritchie and her department, will be started.

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"There is an urgent need to deliver on these housing commitments. While the Minister for Social Development is buying houses this is not meeting the demand that exists in the area," he said.

"We must see the new build programme beginning in the South Down in order to have any confidence that the needs for homes will be met."

Mr Clarke said he has raised the issue in the press and in the Assembly chamber and still not received a "satisfactory answer".

"Margaret Ritchie needs to stop talking around the issue and give clear and defined timescale for delivering social housing in South Down," he claimed.

The MLA added: "Not only is she failing to deliver on social housing commitments in a number of areas across the North but this has now spread to her own constituency."

(PR/JM)