PANDEMIC SAW HOUSEBUILDING SLUMP IN WALES

There was 31% drop in the number of home builds started

HOUSEBUILDING slumped in Wales over the past year as the pandemic impacted the sector. During 2019-20, the number of new dwellings started stood at 6,224 homes but this fell by 31% to 4,314 over the last financial year.

Meanwhile the number of homes completed fell from 6,037 to 4,616 – a drop of 24%.

This all comes at a time of huge concerns about affordable housing in Wales with fears young people are being priced out of communities.

In England there was also a fall in housebuilding although the slump was not as dramatic as that seen in Wales – with an 11% reduction in completions from 175,250 to 155,960.

The figures for North Wales: County/starts/completions Gwynedd - 193/ 111

Anglesey - 99/198

Flintshire - 250/442

Conwy - 173/230

Wrexham - 84/93 Denbighshire - 267/159

Across Wales during 2020-21 the rate of new dwellings started was 3.0 per 1,000 existing dwellings.

Denbighshire had the highest figure in North Wales with a rate of 6.1.

Ifan Glyn, director of the Federation of Master Builders Cymru, said: “The 31% drop in new dwellings started in 2020-21 is not a surprise considering the obvious challenges faced last year.

“However, the long term trend is that we are not building enough homes to meet demand with 70,000 households currently on housing waiting lists in Wales.

“Much more needs to be done to remove the barriers that prevent SME house builders from increasing their output.

“The planning process is too complex and expensive and there aren’t enough viable routes to finance for SMES to get developments off the ground.

“There have been efforts by Welsh Government and others to help, but it hasn’t been enough.

“Drastic action is required to reverse the decline in the number and output of SME house builders.

“Relying on a very small number of

PLCS to deliver the homes we need isn’t working.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We continue to make record levels of investment to stop any slowdown in developments caused by the pandemic.

“We have not yet set any new build targets, but are pleased that numbers continue to broadly align with our estimates of housing need and demand.

“Social housing remains our top priority as we work to deliver our commitment to build 20,000 new low-carbon homes for rent in the social sector this government term.”