Alpha Housing has secured a £20 million sustainability-linked loan from Danske Bank to support the delivery of 240 new homes across Northern Ireland over the next five years.
The agreement will support a mix of general-needs housing and homes for people aged over 55, delivered through apartments and bungalows.
Overall, the funding is expected to increase Alpha Housing’s portfolio by approximately 25%.
A key feature of the financing package is the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets into the loan structure.
These targets will influence the cost of borrowing depending on performance against agreed sustainability indicators.
For the first time in social housing funding arrangement in Northern Ireland, specific biodiversity commitments have been included as part of the financial conditions.
These include a requirement to deliver four biodiversity initiatives annually across housing developments.
Measures may include hedge planting, wildlife pond creation, and other nature-based interventions designed to enhance local ecosystems.
Dominic O’Neill, Senior Corporate Banking Manager at Danske Bank, said:
“Alpha Housing is showing real leadership by committing to measurable sustainability targets that go beyond energy efficiency alone.”
By tying financial conditions to biodiversity and emissions performance, the agreement represents a move towards more accountable and outcomes-based sustainability delivery within the social housing sector.
Alpha Housing, which currently manages nearly 1,000 homes primarily in sheltered accommodation, aims to expand its capacity while contributing to wider net zero and nature recovery objectives across Northern Ireland.
The organisation’s long-term strategy includes carbon reduction, improved energy efficiency, across its housing stock, and enhanced biodiversity outcomes.
The new funding will also support energy efficiency improvements, with a target to upgrade approximately 50 homes per year. This includes retrofit measures such as solar panel installation across selected properties.
