Welsh housing minister names head of affordable housing taskforce

While Jack Sargeant, minister for culture, skills and social partnership, had been slated to chair the taskforce, Ms Bryant said in September that this had not progressed due to the changes in the government.

“The immediate focus will be on short-term actions to expedite delivery of homes in our current build programme,” Ms Bryant said.

These will include looking at opportunities to develop publicly owned sites on a meanwhile basis using modern methods of construction.

The second, longer-term workstream will recommend how “practical system change” can “streamline the delivery of more homes for social rent”.

“I look forward to seeing the progress of this important work and to receiving the insights and outcomes that will help us drive the delivery of much needed affordable homes,” Ms Bryant added.

Matt Dicks, national director of the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru, said it was “really positive” that the government had “initiated this deep dive into the blockages hampering development schemes coming through at the pace and scale required to meet the target”.

“We look forward to supporting Mr Waters in his work, providing him access to the collective expertise and practical experience of our 1,000 members in Wales.”

The appointment is the latest in a series of announcements from Ms Bryant around how she will tackle the job, which she took on in July.

A key focus has been on meeting the Welsh government’s target of delivering 20,000 low-carbon social homes by 2026.

A recent report from Audit Wales found that “without significant additional spending”, the target is likely to be missed.

The government said it had asked the sector to identify blocked development schemes that have the potential to be accelerated.

It also asked providers to identify schemes that may not be in their main development programmes but could be completed within the Senedd term if funding is secured

“Our engagement with sector partners provides valuable feedback on the challenges and potential blockages they face in delivering some schemes by the end of this Senedd term,” Ms Bryant said.

Several Welsh housing associations are also facing a significant legal challenge after the High Court in Cardiff ruled last week that Welsh tenants who do not receive electrical safety reports are entitled to withhold their rent.

The judgment could have major consequences for the Welsh housing sector as a whole, potentially opening the door to a bill of tens of millions of pounds if tenants are entitled to demand a refund for rent they had already paid.