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Welsh housing association building falls by a third

The number of new homes built by housing associations in Wales tumbled by more than a third in the 12 months to the end of June, according to official statistics.

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Figures released yesterday by the Welsh Government show housing association completions fell 35% over the period compared with the previous year.

Community Housing Cymru (CHC), which represents housing associations in Wales, said the sector is still on track to help deliver ministers’ target of 20,000 new affordable homes between 2016 and 2021.

Overall housebuilding also fell, with private sector completions decreasing by 12%.

Work started on a total of 6,002 new homes, 19% less than in the 12 months to the end of June 2017.


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However, local authority building increased eightfold, with 99 new council homes completed, compared with just 12 in the previous year.

All 30 of the council homes completed between April and June were built by Flintshire County Council – and 18 of these were delivered by its housing company.

A total of 1,818 new homes were started across Wales during the quarter – 2% less than a year earlier but still the second highest number recorded in April to June since 2008/09.

Private builders accounted for 83% of housebuilding, with housing associations contributing 15% and councils 2%.

The statistical release mentions that there has been “concern for some time” that the figures may undercount housing association builds and attribute them to the private sector, due to misclassification by building inspectors on design-and-build contracts.

Aaron Hill, assistant director of policy and public affairs at CHC, said: “While housebuilding figures show a small drop, housing associations in Wales remain on course to deliver our pact with Welsh Government and achieve the target of 20,000 homes in this assembly term.

“Our Housing Horizons vision outlined our ambition to deliver 75,000 homes by 2036, and we are delighted to be contributing to the ongoing Review of Affordable Housing Supply in Wales, where we will be making some exciting recommendations on how to build a Wales where good housing is a basic right for all.”

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