Housing demolitions: April 2018 to March 2019

The number of dwellings demolished annually can vary considerably from year to year. It will be dependent on the level of development and clearance work within each authority over the period.

Main points

• During 2018-19, 75 dwellings were demolished across Wales, 45% less than 2017-18 and the lowest total reported since 2008-09.
• In the 13 local authorities where demolitions were carried out, the highest numbers were in Neath Port Talbot (9), Flintshire (8) and Bridgend (8).
• As was the case in 2017-18, all renewal area demolitions (a) took place in Flintshire, accounting for 11% of all demolitions in 2018-19.
• Since 2016-17, no demolitions have been carried out on clearance areas in Wales (b).

(a) Area based housing renewal schemes enable local authorities to focus activity and investment on areas that combine a need for assistance with the potential for regeneration.
(b) Clearance areas are those where the houses are deemed unfit for human habitation or are dangerous or harmful to the health of the inhabitants. The local authority declares a clearance area when it is satisfied that the most suitable method of dealing with these conditions is the demolition of all the buildings in that area.

We use this information to calculate dwelling stock estimates for Wales.