VICTORIA Square residents have welcomed Communities Minister Gordon Lyons' decision to bring legislation "as a matter of urgency" to provide the same protection for the owners of defective buildings.

In 2019 owners of apartments in Victoria Square in Belfast city centre were forced to leave their homes due to safety fears about the building's structure. Their bid for compensation was struck out last month by the High Court because in Northern Ireland  claims must be made within six years of a building being completed. In England and Wales, the timeframe is 30 years. 

Last month residents were told they will no longer have to pay rates and will be refunded for any rates which have been paid.

Today in the Assembly Minister Lyons said: "Given the urgency, I am writing to Executive colleagues today to seek their support and approval to introduce new legislation under the Accelerated Passage process. This primary legislation will address the period under which action can be taken with regard to defective buildings and addresses the unfair disparity that currently exists and disadvantages our people.

"I do not seek consent for the accelerated passage process lightly. I fully respect the rights of this Assembly to have the normal time and scrutiny processes. However, I do believe it is right that this discrepancy between NI and elsewhere in the UK is resolved.

"Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I know that this is an issue of grave concern and it has the potential to impact many people right across Northern Ireland. I wanted to bring this matter to the House to keep Members updated on my intentions."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the residents said: "We welcome today's Ministerial announcement which we hope is the first step in the speedy progress of legislation through the Northern Ireland Assembly. 

"Over the last few weeks local Ministers have responded to the emerging situation in relation to the Victoria Square apartments with clarity and urgency. We hope that the agreement to bring forward accelerated legislation is supported at all stages by the parties in the Assembly. 

"We will remain engaged with Ministers and political parties as we continue to seek a long term resolution to this difficult issue."

South Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole said: “I have called consistently for action to address this anomaly and so I welcome the Minister’s statement today and the work which he and his Executive colleagues have done to change the limitation period.

“But since the case that brought this to public attention was that of Victoria Square, it is vital that the new law is specifically designed to allow the Victoria Square owners to restart the legal action that only fell because the law had not been updated."