Shadow Housing Minister, Mark Isherwood AM, has this afternoon called on the Welsh Government to “to implement a comprehensive housing reform programme to increase supply and therefore make housing more affordable”.
Speaking in the Assembly Debate on Housing, Mr Isherwood said the latest figures for new home registrations show Wales again lagging Scotland and all 9 English regions, with England up 5%, but Wales down 14%.
He said:
“Professor Holman’s report for the Welsh Government estimates that Wales needs up to 240,000 new housing units, 12,000 annually, between 2011 and 2031 – almost double the number delivered in 2014-15.
“Last September’s Bevan Foundation report “the shape of Wales to Come” states “the Housing Task Force has forecast that in order to meet anticipated housing need between 2006 and 2028 there need to be 14,200 new homes created each year, including 5,100 non-market homes. There is already a substantial shortfall between projected requirements and actual provision, with less than half the requirement being met. The biggest shortfall was in social housing”. He added: “Two 2015 reports completed by NLP Planning for the house-building industry in Wales confirmed the link between market supply and housing market affordability, but found the current level of housing delivery is only just over half of identified housing need across Wales.
“Working with the whole housing sector, Welsh Conservatives want to develop a whole market solution to the Welsh housing supply crisis in social rent, private rent, low cost home ownership and open market purchase – and launch an ambitious programme of home building.
“A Welsh Conservative Government will listen to home builders in order to support safety and energy efficiency without damaging investment in new housing supply.
“We must maximise the potential for Housing Associations, working with the wider housing sector to deliver housing that is affordable to local people,” and “work with the private rented sector to drive up standards, drive out criminals, tackle homelessness.
“Our proposals to reform the Right to Buy Council Homes would ensure the proceeds of sales were invested into new social housing, thereby increasing the number of households homed.
“Welsh Conservatives will also drive “Low Cost Home Ownership Cymru”, enabling people in Wales to own their home – extending Help to Buy to properties in need of renovation, developing Starter Home and Rent to Buy initiatives, embracing shared ownership and mortgage guarantee schemes.
“My 21 years working in the building society sector and my 12 years as a housing association voluntary board member taught me the important lesson that if Government is seeking to deliver programmes or legislation, it should work together with the housing sector.”