Affordable housing provision in Wales rose 12 per cent in 2018/19 to reach the highest level recorded in ten years.
Local authorities reported 2,592 additional affordable homes had been delivered across Wales compared to 2,316 in 2017/18. The previous peak in the data series that began in 2007/08 was 2,543 in 2008/09.
Welsh Government has a target of 20,000 extra affordable homes, including 6,000 from Help to Buy, over the 2016-2021 period.
Registered social landlords delivered 2,338 homes (90 per cent) of the affordable homes last year, with 205 from local authorities and 49 from other providers.
Figures from Stats Wales show that 3,569 affordable homes are planned for 2019/20, with local authority output trebling to 635.
Almost three quarter of the additional affordable homes last year were delivered with capital grant funding, while 650 of the homes were delivered on public land (up 22 per cent on 2017/18).
Aaron Hill, head of policy and external affairs at Community Housing Cymru, said:
‘Over the last year, housing associations in Wales have increased the number of homes they’ve built by more than 20%, helping Wales reach a ten year high in the number of new affordable homes. This puts us firmly on track to deliver on our commitment towards Welsh Government’s target of 20,000 homes.
‘If we are going to build the social homes we desperately need in Wales, both housing associations and local authorities will need to deliver. In uncertain political and economic times, our ongoing partnerships with local government will need to strengthen further to continue supporting the Welsh economy and end the housing crisis. We now need all political parties currently fighting the General Election to prioritise housing, and for our own government in Wales to invest in social housing in its forthcoming budget.’