Craigavon Travellers Support Committee

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

We continue to be angry and frustrated at the lack of energy and urgency given to the improvement of Traveller Accommodation by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

We don't just advocate for Travellers who live in Craigavon, we work with Travellers right across the North. The planned upgrade of the Ballyarnett Traveller site in Derry is being delayed by unnecessary and unacceptable inaction by the Housing Executive. The planning application to upgrade this site was submitted on the 3rd July 2025. In November 2025 Derry Planning team asked for additional information, 6 months later they have not received a response. This is not a request for "complex" or extraordinary information! This is a request for bread and butter planning information which should be sent as standard for any planning application.

The Planning Application for a decant site in Legahory, first submitted in February 2025 but returned because of missing information was returned as incomplete in April 2025. It still does not appear on the planning portal, 14 months later. ABC Planning Department requested a bat survey. Bat season runs from March to September so they had more than adequate time to complete it. Failure to submit this application to coincide with the Legahory Close application has the potential to delay the refurbishment of the Legahory site. We raised this in April 2025 and were assured that the outcome of one is not dependent upon the outcome of the other, but now it appears that it is. We await confirmation from the NIHE on whether it will cause a delay, we asked the question on 19th May, but they have failed to respond to our query. All we needed was a yes or no answer.

The An Tearmann site in Coalisland was to be refurbished in 2022. No planning application has been submitted, so based upon the snails pace progress of the projects above, we could be 5 years away on this one.

NIHE submitted a planning application for a 2 pitch serviced site in Magherafelt in November 2022. The MUDC planning Authority requested a Traveller Needs Assessment to show that there was a requirement for this site to be built. NIHE have a statutory duty to complete Needs Assessments. The Needs Assessment for general housing are updated every year. The need for Traveller Accommodation is supposed to form part of this assessment. There has been no Traveller Needs Assessment completed since 2014!

Traveller sites are a form of social housing. The Housing Executive holds the statutory duty to provide it in the North. The Housing Executive is the Strategic Housing Authority for Northern Ireland - aspiring to be "housing champions" and failing miserably!

02/06/2026

📢 CTSC Submission to the Draft Framework for Race Relations Consultation

Today we are publishing our response to The Executive Office's consultation on the Draft Framework for Race Relations.

While CTSC remains committed to working towards a Northern Ireland where everyone is treated with dignity, equality and respect, we do not believe that the current draft Framework is fit for purpose.

In our submission, we highlight concerns about the lack of a robust evidence base, the absence of a full review of the previous Racial Equality Strategy, weak accountability mechanisms, and the failure to adequately address the specific experiences and inequalities faced by Irish Travellers and other minority ethnic communities.

Northern Ireland needs a racial equality strategy that is ambitious, properly resourced, evidence-based and capable of delivering measurable change. Unfortunately, we do not believe the current proposals meet that standard.

We have therefore called for the Framework to be substantially revised and co-designed with affected communities before being taken forward.

📄 Read our full consultation response below.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:fb55b2d8-4b7b-4cfd-83c3-61a2ac62d333

02/06/2026

See new Public Health Agency and ABC borough 8 week programme for men.

20/05/2026

Some good advice, please make sure your young ones take heed.

Our NEW website is now live.

As part of our commitment to providing accessible information, advice and support, we’ve launched a new blog for parents and guardians on the dangers of “Spice” and synthetic cannabinoid va**ng.

Young people across the UK are being hospitalised after unknowingly va**ng dangerous synthetic substances sold as THC or cannabis oil.

The blog covers:
• What Spice actually is
• The risks and warning signs
• How to have supportive conversations with young people
• Where families can access help and support

Explore our new website and read the full blog at: https://www.start360.org/whats-new/

Change Starts Here.

19/05/2026

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the risks of skin cancer, promoting prevention strategies, and encouraging early detection. With over 16,000 new melanoma cases annually in the UK, it emphasizes that about 86% of cases are preventable by protecting skin from UV radiation.

Sunbed use increases your risk of getting skin cancer!

For advice on how to protect yourself or recognise the signs and symptoms of skin cancer follow the link.

These pictures are only a guide to what melanoma skin cancers may look like. If you’re worried about a skin change it is important to get it checked by your GP.

18/05/2026

What you should know about Traveller sites in Northern Ireland:

There are currently only 4 Housing Executive Traveller Sites across Northern Ireland: A total of 42 homes which will soon reduce to 35 if upgrade works at Legahory Close and Ballyarnett get the go ahead.

Legahory Close Craigavon - space for 8 families to stay on a temporary basis (transit site). NIHE have successfully secured planning permission to improve living conditions and reduce the number of living spaces down to 5 permanent pitches (serviced site).

Acorn Grove Craigavon - Space for 7 families to live on a permanent basis (serviced site). The site is currently full.

Ballyarnett Derry - Space for 11 families to live on a temporary basis (transit site). NIHE have submitted a planning application to improve living conditions and reduce the number of spaces down to 7 for families to live there on a permanent basis (serviced site).

An Tearmann Coalisland - Space for 16 families to live on a permanent basis (serviced site). There is serious overcrowding and an urgent need for improvement works additional spaces. We continue to advocate for improvement works on the site. Works were ‘imminent’ in 2022 and NIHE have done nothing to progress it.

The Housing Executive has a Statutory Duty to provide sufficient, adequate, culturally appropriate accommodation for Irish Travellers.

Traveller accommodation is a form of social housing and families who live on the sites hold tenancies, pay rent and rates the same as any other social housing tenant.

Conditions on Legahory Close, Ballyarnett and An Tearmann fall far below the standards set out by the Department for Communities NI both in the Design Guide for Traveller Sites 2013 and it's updated version in 2020.

New sites are not being built! Current sites are being brought up to current Design Guide Regulations set out in Design Guide 2013 and 2020 and Health and Safety Legislation.

Derogatory comments about providing or upgrading sites are not welcome on our page!