3000 homes needed in county

Just under 3,000 new homes need to be built in the whole of Powys by the end of 2037, councillors have been told.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on, Tuesday, February 18, senior councillors received a report on the Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA) for the county, covering a 15 year period from 2022 to 2037.

Producing the LHMA is a legal requirement for local housing authorities (council’s) to do.

The Welsh Government asks council’s to do this “periodical review” every five years.

The report explains that of the 2,978 extra houses, around 600 of them would be inside the boundary of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority in the south of Powys.

Around 40 per cent of the developments will need to be for affordable homes.

The report explains that there is a need to build 820 council or social rented houses and 59 per cent of these should be one bedroom homes.

According to the report Powys also has an ageing population with the: “number of deaths larger than the number of births.”

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for housing, Labour’s Cllr Matthew Dorrance said: “Without inward migration the Powys population will decline during this period to 2037, so we clearly need more people to move here to sustain our services and economy.”

He added that the council would need to be “cognisant” of the need for affordable homes and one bedroom dwellings in their future planning.

Cllr Dorrance said: “Although this analysis is an important piece of evidence it remains a snapshot.

“So, when making policy decisions the most recent figures from the housing register, Tai Teg and other available evidence must be considered by the council.”

Head of housing services, Andy Thompson added that there is “always the question” whether the assessment reflects the actual “working” of the  housing market rather than the housing need.

Mr Thompson said: “Housing markets are incredibly dynamic.

“Something conducted every five years does not reflect interest rate changes or investment in housing by private developers and the ability of local authorities or housing associations to build social housing, which in turn depends on the availability of grants to keep rents at a low level.”

“It gives us something to work on, such as the growing need for older people’s accommodation.”

Councillors unanimously agreed the LHMA and which will be sent to Cardiff Bay to be signed off by the Welsh Government and will inform future economic development, housing, and planning policy for Powys.