Siân Gwenllian MS, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing
and Planning: As I said in my Oral Statement of 9 June, a
safe, warm home is something that everyone in Wales should
have. Home is the foundation for our health and our
well-being, our connection to our communities and our ability to
learn and to work. I'm determined to increase the supply of
social homes over this Senedd term, which will enable us to
tackle homelessness, to keep people out of unsuitable temporary
accommodation, to make housing more affordable and to give people
greater choice over where they live.
This Government is committed to supporting the delivery of 20,000
additional social homes by 2030, ensuring that they are of high
quality and are energy efficient. Since taking post I have
been impressed by the current and future pipeline of social
housing, that our partners have developed. I will work
relentlessly with local authorities, Registered Social Landlords,
community groups and other homebuilders to deliver on this
target.
I am clear that this target will focus on delivering genuinely
affordable homes that remain accessible to communities over the
long term. It will therefore be limited to homes for social rent
and intermediate rent where affordability is secured in
perpetuity. This includes homes, that fall under those
categories, that are delivered by community-led housing projects.
Alongside new build homes, additional stock brought into the
social sector through acquisition will also form part of the
target delivery. There is an immediate need for homes across
Wales. It is therefore essential that partners are equipped to
respond to this urgency, including through the appropriate use of
acquisitions.
Relevant official statistics are already published annually as
part of Affordable Housing Provision
statistics.
Any sales of homes provided for social rent or intermediate rent
will be deducted from target delivery progress.
Whilst official data collected does not specifically capture
information on carbon levels, all homes that count toward the
target are required to meet specific standards including energy
efficiency. Detail of the standards will continue to be set out
in a quality report that
accompanies official Affordable Housing Provision statistics.
In terms of measurement and milestones of progress, we have set a
collective nation-wide four-year period for the target,
reflecting the cycle of bringing homes from pipeline stage to
build completion is not linear.
The target delivery period will run from 1st April
2026 to 31st March 2030 to align with official
statistics.
By defining the target in this way, we are providing full
transparency and ensuring it is firmly focused on delivering
homes that remain affordable for the long term.
Moreover, delivering progress on the recommendations of the
Affordable Housing
Taskforce, alongside progressing the establishment of Unnos,
will bring the focus firmly on supporting delivery.
Unnos will support us in unblocking the barriers that have held
back housing delivery for years. I will set out its purpose and
remit in more detail, within the first 100 days of our
Government.
I am also determined to reduce the complexity and bureaucracy of
planning processes. As a first step, within our first 100 days,
we will publish an implementation plan for the Planning (Wales)
Act 2026 and the Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act
2026, setting out our approach, the key steps and the timetable
for their implementation.
We also committed in our manifesto to exploring opportunities for
further permitted development rights in relation to community-led
housing and to make it easier to convert empty buildings on high
streets and spaces above shops into residences. These measures
could help both to secure additional social homes in local
communities and regenerate town centres.
As I have already made clear, this government will also continue
to promote and support a range of other housing policies which
deliver affordable homes, that meet the needs of people and
communities.
