The Welsh Conservatives pledge to double the number of new homes built every year if they are in power after the next assembly election is one of those that may look good on a press release, but in reality may not work out that way
According to the BBC
Around 6,000 homes were built in the 12 months to last June, down 19 per cent on the year before.The party, if it wins the next election, proposes to launch a programme to build 12,000 homes every year during the next assembly term, which runs from 2021 to 2026, and 100,000 homes over ten years.
The Welsh Tories say they would aim to see the number built rise to 12,000 every year.
Conservative AM David Melding said a crisis in housing will only be tackled if parties agree on ambitious targets.
The Welsh Conservatives will launch its strategy on housing on Monday, with the target at the centre of it.
It wants to create an environment where its easier for private firms, housing associations and councils to be able to build new homes.
Policies are understood to include scrapping land transaction tax - the Welsh version of stamp duty - for first time buyers on properties up to £250,000, lifting borrowing restrictions on social housing and a statutory register of suitable brownfield sites (areas previously built upon, often for industrial use).
The Welsh Government is currently working towards a target of building 20,000 affordable homes in the current assembly term, which ends in 2021.
It has said it is spending £1.7bn on housing.
Speaking to the Sunday Politics Wales programme, Welsh Conservative housing spokesman Mr Melding said that "the housing crisis will only be tackled if all the major parties agree on an ambitious new target for house-building".
Voices from the housing sector said they believe the headline target of building 12,000 homes a year is achievable.
Ifan Glyn from the Federation of Master Builders Cymru said
"As it currently stands only five companies in Wales build 80% of all new homes,"
"We believe by unlocking the potential of small and medium sized construction firms by making planning less complex and less expensive and by increasing access to affordable finance and by making more viable land available then we'll unlock that potential," .
Clarissa Corbisiero-Peters from Community Housing Cymru, which represents the social housing sector in Wales, said it would like 75,000 homes built by 2036.
"We're up for it but we can't do it on our own so we need to work with our local government partners, our partners in health.The problem is of course when planning is sort then it is often not brownfield sites and local politicians quite rightly react negatively
Only recently close to where I live plans for more than 400 homes on farm land in Rhondda Cynon Taf have been approved by councillors.
The application for 440 homes on Ystrad Barwig Isaf Farm, which includes a plan for a new primary school, was given the go-ahead by the council's planning and development committee on Thursday, November 22.
A previous application for the site was approved by the committee but thrown out by Welsh Government last year because of concerns over flooding due to its presence on a flood plain.
Geraint John, the agent for the applicant, said that no highly vulnerable development would be built in the flood zone itself so it does not require any flood risk mitigation.
The sole reason for refusal has been addressed and overcome.”
He said the key benefits of the development are that it would boost the council’s housing land supply, provide a school and provide open spaces for recreation.
There will also be a full section 106 contribution of around £4.5m, of which 15% will be split between Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre community councils for community use locally.
Simon Gray, managing director of Llanmoor Homes (which made the application), said the expansion of Pontypridd and Treforest shows there is a need for housing in the area with 20% affordable housing on this development.
He said he respects the concerns of residents over the lack of infrastructure and said the school and talks to expand the local GP surgery would help to address this.
Local Councilor Joel James, who represents Llantwit Fardre, said:
“This is the sixth time we have seen housing proposed for this land.”
He mentioned comments from Welsh Government from the previous application, which said there were “major constraints” and that it is an “unsustainable form of development”.
He said that Welsh Government planning policy says there needs to be a move away from mitigation towards avoiding building on flood plains altogether.
“Quite frankly I am embarrassed that this authority is considering it,” he said.
“It is absolutely ludicrous. The council has determined that meeting its failing housing targets justifies it.”
The planning officer said the council currently has a housing land supply of 1.4 years, despite needing a five-year supply.
But he said that in July, Welsh Government made a change to planning law which says it is now a matter for local authorities themselves to decide how much weight they give to housing land supply figures in deciding applications.
Councilor Joel James is a Conservative.
The AM for Pontypridd Labour's Mick Antoniw also weighed in
It is disappointing that the Ystrad Barwig development was approved last week, but the application now moves on to the next stage in the process. I will continue to work with local Councillors and residents to oppose this development and you can read my letter to the Minister on this subject here: http://www.mickantoniw.wales/campaign-against-ystrad-barwi…/
Even more closer to my back yard there is proposed development on Tynant Common, common, also known as the Old Nature Reserve. As my local Community Councilor Julie Barton (Labour) says
This is a site of ecological importance, and should be an asset to the community. It’s certainly not a site for 125 houses.
This may be seen as of Nimbyism, but I would support projects similar to this anywhere in Wales.
We obviously need more housing particularly good social housing, but often we see it geared to suiting the needs of big Urban areas like Cardiff (Cardiff Creep) and not the actual people living in the council areas where building , takes place.
The big builders have the power already to force planning applications through by legal means and threatening strapped councils with expensive appeals.
What we need is a proper planning regulation, which takes in local concerns and meets the housing requirements of that area as well as considering if the the infrastructure, Schools, Doctor's Surgeries, Shops etc.
Its not a case of "don't build here, build it elsewhere" but build it in the right place and where it's needed by locals.
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