Executive Board Gives Green Light On New Homes

Over 60 new council homes could soon be built in Carmarthenshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Development of 61 homes would begin in Dylan, Llwynhendy; Garreglwyd, Pembrey; Maespiode, Llandybie and Pantycelyn in Llandovery after Carmarthenshire Council’s Executive Board members agreed this week to move forward with phase one of an £8.5million investment to grow the local authority’s housing stock over the next two years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Building could be begin in March next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council is also adding new homes to its stock at an average rate of one a week by buying suitable properties on the open market – nearly 20 homes have been bought already this year at a cost of £1.7million, with the needs of specific families in mind. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmarthenshire is one of only half of Welsh local authorities to retain its housing stock, and became the first in Wales to build new council accommodation since the 80s when it developed 12 new homes in 2014 – an act followed up shortly later when it became the first in Wales to suspend its Right to Buy policy in order to protect its stock. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Housing Executive Board Member Cllr Linda Evans said: “It’s been a very exciting period for us, we are ready to
begin the first phase of affordable housing, both council housing and housing association homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are making best use of our funding and are currently in a position to build 61 council houses over the next two years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We had already identified the need and have been planning this for the past 15 months.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The phase one programme will now go before Full Council for approval. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​