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The housing association Beacon Cymru has highlighted the lengthy timelines involved in constructing new homes across Wales, attributing delays to the current planning system. The organisation referenced a recent development in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where 51 new apartments are set to welcome tenants seven years after purchasing the former Big Shed site. Chief executive Luke Takeuchi acknowledged resource challenges but stressed the need for a more streamlined and efficient planning process to expedite applications like this one.
According to the Welsh government, there is an urgent requirement for approximately 9,400 additional homes to accommodate individuals without permanent housing. Furthermore, projections indicate that an average of 8,700 new properties, encompassing both private and social housing, must be built each year until 2030. Despite this pressing need, the latest figures released on 9 July show that only 5,159 homes were completed in the previous year. Although this represents an 11% increase compared to the year before, industry experts note that construction has yet to return to levels seen before the pandemic.
Matthew Davies, a builder based in Pontypridd and spokesperson for the Home Builders Federation, highlighted the planning system as a key obstacle contributing to the gap between housing supply and demand. He explained that while there is sufficient land to meet building targets, the lengthy duration of planning applications—often between three and five years—hinders progress. Davies emphasised the necessity of reducing these timescales to one or two years to meet housing objectives. Meanwhile, the Welsh government is expected to reveal new details soon about how progress toward the 20,000-home target will be monitored. This target was initially a manifesto pledge by Plaid Cymru during the Senedd election and was also part of Labour’s agenda during its previous term.
Social housing, which is provided by councils and housing associations with rents and standards regulated and funded by the government, has seen increased financial pressures. More than £2 billion was invested in social housing over the last Senedd term. Audit Wales reports that the government grant required per home rose sharply—from £93,000 to £163,000 over four years—due to rising costs and stricter building standards. Clarissa Corbisiero, deputy chief executive of Community Housing Cymru, representing housing associations in Wales, called for a “long-term plan to end the housing emergency.” She urged the government to allocate additional funds in the forthcoming budget to address the higher costs involved in delivering new homes.
Housing minister Sian Gwenllian has described the lack of adequate housing as a “housing crisis” and promised to work “relentlessly” toward achieving the 20,000-home target by 2030. To assist with this goal, a national agency named Unnos will be established to support councils and housing associations in navigating planning applications, securing land, and obtaining funding for projects. A spokesperson for the Welsh government affirmed their commitment to the target, stating that an extra £20 million in the draft supplementary budget would bolster efforts to reduce homelessness, lessen reliance on temporary accommodation, and ensure access to high-quality, energy-efficient homes across Wales
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