A social housing scheme funded mostly by the taxpayer was built without planning permission, and remains empty almost a year after their completion.

The apartment block was built on edge of the Gas Works site near the Markets at a cost of almost £1m.

Helm Housing Association which owns the block, said it was told construction could begin in 2007, but planning approval has not yet been granted.

Anna Lo, MLA for the area, said Helm Housing had acted irresponsibly.

"Helm Housing has been a well-established housing association, for them to ignore the procedures and to build without planning permission is totally scandalous.

"They may now face the consequence of having to knock it down, wasting taxpayers' money."

Often in NI, certain pressures are brought to bear - remember the DUP deals with Gordon? Picture that sort of thing with Sinn Fein, though I've never seen it play out at such a local level, and such a level of cock-up... I'm guessing they'll compromise and the apartments will stand

Yes but if they will not qualify for planning permission they will be setting a bad precedent in that anyone will then build and ignore planning permission and cite this case as precedent. In that case the buildings either should come down or the Housing association fined substantially, with the money going into council coffers for social housing.

I still think a huge fine would stop the problem. A fine so big that they will never make a profit on the deal and use it as a basis to go after private contractors as well.

Not gonna happen in this part of the empire - too many vested interests for too many people

Yes but what else will stop developers flouting the rules. If you or I did it they would get us to demolish the building.