Ellie Ames 05 September 2024

Significant funding needed for Wales to ‘get close’ to housing pledge

Significant funding needed for Wales to ‘get close’ to housing pledge image
Image: Jevanto Productions / Shutterstock.com

The Welsh Government is unlikely to deliver on a pledge to build 20,000 low-carbon social homes for rent by 2026, according to a spending watchdog.

A new report by Audit Wales says that while 19,913 homes are set to be delivered or in the pipeline for delivery by March 2026, it is highly likely that some riskier pipeline schemes will not materialise in time or at all.

The watchdog estimated that between 15,860 and 16,670 homes would be delivered on time.

But the Welsh Government had already said it would count houses towards the target even if they were not new or low carbon, and has sought to offset slow progress by acquiring existing properties.

Between £580m and £740m of extra funding is needed to 'get close' to the pledge, Audit Wales has estimated.

Auditor general Adrian Crompton said the Government faced difficult choices about its funding and approach if it remained committed to the target.

The Welsh Government said it would consider the watchdog's report and respond ‘in due course’.

A spokesperson said: ‘There are a range of factors impacting housing supply, not least the recent sustained period of record inflationary pressures, which has made achieving the target even more challenging.

‘We continue to work with the housing sector to deliver more homes.’

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