CHC comments on Right to Buy announcement

Community Housing Cymru Group (CHC) welcomes the proposals to end the Right to Buy in Wales following Lesley Griffiths' latest announcement.

Stuart Ropke, Group Chief Executive of CHC said: “We welcome these proposals to end the Right to Buy in Wales but, to some extent, this measure closes the stable door after the horse has bolted. Around 130,000 council homes have been bought under Right to Buy since 1980 which has had a huge impact on the supply of affordable housing. However, in recent years, there has been a dramatic slowdown in Right to Buy sales. The Legislative Competence Order already allows Welsh Ministers to allow councils to refuse Right to Buy requests in areas where there is high demand for affordable housing.

“We have an affordable housing crisis in Wales with a backlog of unmet housing need. Ending the Right to Buy will not help build new homes. It is just one action that needs to be part of a wider policy to improve access to housing in communities throughout Wales including more use of public land for affordable housing development, more planning freedoms and a sustained programme of investment. CHC has signed a Housing Supply Pact with Welsh Government and will continue to work with members and Welsh Government to deliver the affordable housing target of 10,000 homes by 2016.”