£43 million investment in housing for the future

Housing and Regeneration Minister Rebecca Evans will today announce which projects will share in the second phase of the three-year Innovative Housing Programme, worth £90m in total.

Successful projects include:

• Nearly £7m for Pobl Group who are developing 225 homes near Tonyrefail. The investment will create the infrastructure to ensure the homes can act as power stations – a UK first at this scale
• £4m for Cartrefi Croeso to build 30 homes in Burry Port using Welsh timber, local off-site manufacturing using local labour, featuring Tŷ Solar panels manufactured in West Wales
• £650,000 for Denbighshire Council for timber-framed Passivhaus homes. Cartrefi Conwy will work with partners to establish a factory to produce the homes and build others for local social landlords. Cartrefi Conwy also will receive £442,000 to build 16 homes using the system. The local supply chain will provide training to local people who might otherwise face barriers to the jobs market
• £1m for Anglesey Council working with Coed Cymru and social housing providers to deliver an affordable and flexible housing construction system using local Welsh softwood and support the development of a local supply chain
• £1.1m for Flintshire Council to build 12 apartments with the flexibility to meet changing needs in social housing including apartments size, wheelchair accessibility and supported living
• £1.9m for Newydd Housing Association to build 23 homes as well as space for start-ups and established businesses as part of the Goods Shed development in Barry
• £2.6m for Powys Council to build 26 low-carbon homes in Newtown using Welsh timber
• £839,000 for Wales and West Housing Association to build 14 homes in Bridgend using the Solcer House model which incorporates energy efficiency and renewable technologies
• £568,000 for Gwynedd Council to build four adaptable pods to Passivhaus standard to provide stable intermediate accommodation for homeless people.
• £9m for Linc Cymru Housing Association to create 50 homes in a timber tower with vertical greening in Cardiff

Rebecca Evans said:

“We are investing in our Innovative Housing Programme to reduce fuel poverty, reduce the impact of house building on the environment, and reduce the health and wellbeing inequalities which are exacerbated by poor quality housing.

“It is clear that if the scale and pace of house-building is to increase significantly, traditional approaches are unlikely to deliver on their own. Done the right way, we have an opportunity to build high quality, near zero carbon homes, capturing and boosting the skills and expertise within the Welsh construction and manufacturing industries.”