£1m spent to buy homes – then M4 scheme scrapped
NEARLY £1m was spent by the Welsh Government to buy two properties on the proposed M4 relief road route just two months before the project was scrapped.
More than £15m has been spent on compulsory purchase orders for 29 properties affected by the cancelled scheme since 1995, figures obtained by the opposition Welsh Conservative party show.
The most recent purchases were for two houses in Coedkernew, south west of Newport, which cost £575,000 and £400,000 each and were bought by the Government in April 2019.
First Minister Mark Drakeford announced the M4 relief road would not go ahead just two months later in June 2019.
The Welsh Government has said the properties will be sold when market conditions are favourable.
Information obtained by the Welsh Conservatives through a freedom of information request shows 29 houses were purchased since 1995. The cost of the acquisitions totalled £15,277,202.
Land purchased before the devolved Welsh Government was established would have been bought under the authority of the Wales Office as part of the UK Government.
Since the project was scrapped seven properties have been sold, seven are now tenanted, and 15 lie vacant.
The total annual rental income for the tenanted properties currently tenanted is £106,504 a year, while the seven homes have since been sold for a total of £2,140,735.
Conservative shadow minister for economy, business and infrastructure, Russell George MS, said: “The financial waste built up by the Welsh Labour-run government from the M4 relief road saga has been one of its most notorious scandals and raises serious questions about how so much money can be wasted with nothing to show for it.
“For the last 20 years successive Welsh Labour-led governments have dragged their feet before abruptly abandoning the scheme last year instead of delivering for the people of Newport and South Wales.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “The South East Wales Transport Commission is looking at ways to improve transport in the region.
“Once this work has been completed we will review the land and property we own in the area.”