A National Assembly for Wales committee report is calling for more action from the Welsh Government on the availability of affordable housing.
An inquiry by the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee found an overarching need for a ‘whole-system’ approach to housing in Wales.
Evidence submitted by housing groups, tenants’ associations and builders demonstrated a need for leadership from the Welsh Government.
The committee recommends that the Welsh Government’s strategy be re-examined to ensure it is fit for purpose and also calls for targets on overall house building numbers to be established. More effort should also be made to develop land with planning permission for affordable homes already in place.
“The Committee recognises that the Welsh Government intends to address some of our concerns in the forthcoming Housing Bill which will be put forward during this Assembly,” said Ann Jones AM, Chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee.
“Our hope is that the findings of this inquiry and the recommendations we have made contribute towards shaping that Bill.
“The barriers hampering the provision of affordable homes in Wales are complex and require the input and co-operation of, among others, governments in Wales and Westminster, local authorities, agencies and construction firms.
“But with clear leadership from the Welsh Government in particular, we believe that these barriers can be overcome.”
The barriers are only complex because policy makes it that way. Whether it be policy from the department responsible for policies on affordable housing , heritage and regeneration or the separate department controlling policies for planning, the environment or sustainability the area of housing is not governed by one cohesive set of policies and falls between the planning rock and the housing hard place.