Election call over housing

Candidates in Thursday’s Welsh Assembly election have been challenged to tackle a shortage of homes across Wales.

Builders want elected AMs to back a package of key housing priorities they are proposing in a bid to help them meet the shortage of about 40,000 homes.

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) launched its “Manifesto for Wales” today, challenging candidates in the election to tackle the growing affordability crisis and support the tradition of home ownership in Wales.

HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley said: “Based on past research, we estimate Wales currently has a backlog of unmet demand of some 40,000 homes, which amounts to some five times the total annual build rate.

“Politicians need to ensure that the current build-rate increases to avoid Wales falling even further behind.

“Wales has long enjoyed a tradition of home-ownership. People have benefited from the value of their home rising.

“Now many young people are struggling to buy for the first time - and hard-working families are struggling to afford larger properties matching their needs.

“The shortage of homes is because too few homes are being built - fewer than when Nye Bevan set the standards for homes across Britain. An affordability crisis exists because there are too few new homes.

“That is why the HBF is launching a Manifesto for Wales to coincide with the elections on May 3, challenging all the candidates to sign up to five key priorities to ensure the aspirations of Welsh people are met.”

Mr Baseley said the five priorities were: the need to plan to ensure projected new homes and infrastructure improvement reflected household and employment growth; championing of low-carbon homes; a homes plan for Cardiff; tackling a growing shortage of larger homes for families, with particular reference to south Wales and the Wrexham border area; and more homes for local people in rural areas such as Mid Wales.

The manifesto is being sent to all candidates. A public meeting in Welshpool earlier this month involving all of Montgomeryshire’s candidates was united in its stand that more must be done to provide more affordable homes in the county.

By Deborah Knox