Welsh Government has launched a consultation on its vision for development over the next 20 years that includes a big increase in affordable housing.
The Draft National Development Framework identifies priorities for homes, jobs, services and energy generation in the planning system up to 2040.
It includes:
- a focus on growing existing urban areas and ensuring that homes, jobs and services are located in the same area
- a focus on delivering more affordable homes at scale and pace
- 3 clusters of towns and cities identified as nationally significant where large-scale housing and employment growth will be focused; Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys: Swansea Bay and Llanelli and Wrexham and Deeside
- in other areas, development will meet local aspiration and need to complement the growing urban areas.
Housing and local government minister Julie James said:
‘We know that Wales needs more good quality housing; to develop renewable energy and for people to be able to access well-paid jobs close to where they live.
‘I am committed to building more council housing at pace and scale in Wales, and to see far more affordable homes to rent from councils and other social landlords. I want a planning system that consistently meets all our needs; and for our villages, towns and cities to be organised in a way that makes it easier to live healthy and active lives, for us and for future generations.’
The draft framework includes Welsh Government’s latest estimates of housing need that have a central estimate of 118,000 homes required across Wales up to 2038 – 8,300 a year
In the first five years, 47% of those (3,900 a year) should be affordable housing (social or intermediate rent) and 53% (4,400) market housing.
In 2018/19, just 5,777 homes were completed in Wales with 4,489 market homes (78%) and just 1,288 (22%) affordable.
Policy 5 in the Draft National Development Framework says that:
‘The Welsh Government will increase delivery of affordable homes by ensuring that funding for affordable homes is effectively allocated and utilised. Strategic and Local Development Plans should develop strong evidence based policy frameworks to deliver affordable housing, including setting development plan targets based on regional estimates of housing need and local assessments. In response to local and regional needs, they should identify sites for affordable housing led developments and explore all opportunities to increase the supply of affordable housing.‘