To ask the Minister of Finance for an update on any steps he has taken to progress community asset transfers of unused or underused buildings in public ownership.

I am wholly supportive of the important work that third sector groups do to empower communities and advance local regeneration. The Community Asset Transfer process is an area my department is proud to support in helping communities to take charge of local spaces and shape their own futures.

My Department has recently set up a Strategic Asset Management Unit (SAMU), a new division within Land & Property Services (LPS). The team will advance work on the Government Land & Property Register (GLPR) that will help to identify public sector assets that are vacant or under used. As the database develops, we will have a much clearer picture of what is available, opening up more opportunities to make the best use of publicly owned property.

My officials in SAMU have also recently completed a review of public sector asset disposal guidance making the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process simpler and more straightforward for community and Third Sector Organisations, as well as their sponsoring bodies.

It’s important to highlight that not every surplus public sector asset will be suitable for Community Asset Transfer, but where it is an option, I am confident that the process we have in place is open, fair and gives Third Sector Organisations a real chance to express interest and engage in the disposal process.

A number of recent CATs have been successfully delivered through the D1 disposal process including sales at Fairhill Street, Cookstown to Cookstown Enterprise Centre and Falls Road, Belfast to the West Belfast Partnership Board, and a number of others are in the pipeline.