What 430 New Homes Means for the Landscape of Housing in Powys
Powys County Council is injecting over £225 million to realise its ambition to build 430 new council homes and retrofit existing homes by 2029-30.
The initiative forms part of a five-year programme focused on constructing new council homes and upgrading existing ones.
These bold proposals are detailed in the council’s latest ‘At Home in Powys – Housing Business Plan,’ which was officially approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, March 25.
Under this plan, the council aims to build over 430 new council homes by 2029-30, backed by an investment package exceeding £151 million.
Additionally, the plan allocates over £43 million for the next five years to improve the council’s current housing stock and ensure it continues to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.
This standard demands that homes managed by housing associations and local authorities are maintained in excellent condition.
High-Quality Homes at the Top of Powys Council Agenda
Councillor Matthew Dorrance, deputy leader and cabinet member for a Fairer Powys, said: “This ambitious plan will get the council building high-quality council homes to help us tackle the housing emergency.
“The Homes in Powys – Housing Business Plan puts in place the money needed to make our homes more energy efficient for our tenants – tackling fuel poverty and ensuring council homes are doing their bit to tackle climate change.
“The plan also pledges continued investment in our existing council homes to ensure we continue to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.
“This plan will help build a stronger, fairer, greener future for Powys.”
Other programmes of work as part of the Housing Business Plan
- Compliance One Hundred – Over £10.5 million will be dedicated to ensuring that all council homes and related assets fully comply with all relevant and applicable laws and regulations.
- Green Powys – Over £10 million will be invested to enhance fuel efficiency in council homes, alleviate fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions, and combat climate change. This funding will also support initiatives promoting a greener, more sustainable future for council housing estates.
- Fit for Life – Over £4.1 million will be allocated to adapt council homes, ensuring they better meet the needs of older residents and individuals with health-related conditions that limit or negatively impact mobility.
- Love Where You Live – Over £6.9 million will enhance community wellbeing by upgrading council homes and estates.
What plans mean for the wider landscape
For the broader landscape of housing across Powys, these plans help meet the under 3,000 new homes needed to be built in the whole of Powys by the end of 2037.
During a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on Tuesday, February 18, senior councillors reviewed the county’s 15-year Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA), which spans from 2022 to 2037.
The creation of an LHMA is a legal obligation for local housing authorities. According to Welsh Government guidelines, this assessment must be conducted every five years.
The report highlights that out of the projected 2,978 additional houses, approximately 600 would fall within the boundaries of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority in southern Powys.
It also states that around 40% of these developments must be allocated as affordable housing.
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