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15 November 2018

Wales’ Affordable Housing Review is “once in a generation opportunity”

Affordable Housing Review panel urged to be bold, brave and think long-term in recommendations to achieve 75,000 homes goal by 2036.

In November 2017, we called for a review of affordable housing policy in Wales to enable housing associations to achieve their full potential.

The review is now being led by an independent panel, chaired by Lynn Pamment, Cardiff Senior Partner and Government & Public Services Lead at PWC. After consulting with 200 staff and board members from housing associations, we submitted our response to the review in September.

The panel is now in the process of pulling together recommendations from evidence submitted from across the sector, which will be published in April.

Speaking at our Annual Conference, Chief Executive, Stuart Ropke, urged the panel to recommend the following:

  • For housing associations to be given flexibility to set their own rent policy in the long term – with rents set locally at an affordable level
  • Lift the borrowing cap for local authorities, and open up opportunities for partnership working
  • Ask the Government to provide certainty over skills and construction post Brexit

Stuart Ropke Chief Executive, Community Housing Cymru said:

“One thing that’s clear is the ability and desire of housing associations to deliver for the people of Wales. When we launched our vision of a Wales where good housing is a basic right for all, we set a challenge to Welsh Government, which has resulted in an Independent Review of Housing Policy in Wales, chaired by Lynn Pamment. The Review gives us an opportunity to tackle the issues facing the housing sector, and achieve our goal to provide 75,000 new homes by 2036.

“Working together, housing associations and local authorities have the capacity, the capability and the ambitions to tackle the housing crisis in Wales. This Review offers a chance to deliver a framework where housing associations and government come together to achieve our vision.”

Stuart's full speech is here.