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Housebuilding in Wales tumbles to lowest level in four years
Housebuilding in Wales fell to its lowest level since 2012/13 in the most recent quarter, official figures show.
Statistics released yesterday by the Welsh Government show starts on new units dropped by a fifth during July to September.
They dropped to 1,511 compared to the previous year – the lowest level for a July to September quarter since 2012/13.
Completions fell 12% to 1,413, also the lowest level for the same period since 2012/13.
The Welsh Government has a target to see 20,000 new affordable homes delivered between 2016 and 2021, with housing associations signed up to provide at least 12,500 of those.
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Housing associations completed 209 new homes in the last quarter, a drop of 12%, while private sector completions fell 13% to 1,188.
Private sector developments accounted for 84% of new builds during the quarter, with housing associations providing another 15%.
Local authorities completed 16 homes, with 13 of these in Flintshire.
“While the drop in building new homes can partly be accounted for by seasonal factors, we are concerned at the drop to levels previously seen in 2012/13,” said Matt Dicks, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru.
“Following recent announcements on the Local Housing Allowance cap at a Westminster level – and the list of developments to be progressed through the Innovative Housing Fund at a Welsh Government level – we are confident that the focus of the sector can now, to an even greater degree, increase the pace in delivering the homes Wales needs.”
