Council starts work on its first house building scheme in 30 years

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

The process of clearing away an old library and preparing the site so a council can build its first houses in 30 years has got underway.

The work is part of Cyngor Gwynedd’s efforts towards tackling a housing crisis in the county and to provide “affordable homes” for local people in Llanberis.

The scheme has seen the removal of the old Llanberis library, which had been vacant since closure in 2017, one of four libraries in Gwynedd which were shut as part of a major shakeup of the service to save money.

Ty Gwynedd scheme

Now, the site will be used to build three homes which are being developed through Cyngor Gwynedd’s Ty Gwynedd scheme.

The Ty Gwynedd project helps people who are not eligible for social housing or who have difficulty finding adaptable, sustainable, energy-efficient, affordable homes.

The houses will include two semi-detached houses with two bedrooms; and one detached house with three bedrooms.

The properties will be the first to be built by the council in over 30 years, and according to the council aim to meet “the high demand for suitable homes” which are “within reach of local people”.

OBR Construction has been appointed to clear the site and build the new homes, while Saer Architects worked alongside Cyngor Gwynedd to develop the plans.

The council says the development is part of the Council’s Housing Action Plan.

It pledges to ensure “the people of Gwynedd have access to a suitable home which is of a high standard, affordable and improves their quality of life”.

The scheme aims to address a “housing shortage in the county” and to ensure that Gwynedd residents have “access to high quality and affordable housing in their own communities”.

The plan includes providing over 1,000 affordable homes by 2027, including developing 90 new houses through the Tŷ Gwynedd scheme.

Fantastic

Councillor Craig ab Iago, Cyngor Gwynedd’s Housing and Property Cabinet Member, said: “It’s fantastic for me as a cabinet member to see all our thorough preparations come to fruition.

“The demolition of the old library is an important milestone in the work of developing our first houses for over 30 years in Gwynedd.

“As the demand for housing continues to grow, there is a huge shortage of homes for those who aren’t eligible for social housing but who also find it difficult to afford a house on the open market.

“I’m looking forward to seeing these brand-new houses in the near future being transformed into lifelong homes for local families and individuals.”

Once they are available, it will be possible to apply for these houses through Tai Teg, which administers affordable housing schemes for Cyngor Gwynedd.

“The council encourages anyone interested in applying to register with Tai Teg and further information on the Tŷ Gwynedd scheme cane be found on the council website.

The timelapse video of the site being cleared can be seen at: Fideo o amser yn mynd heibio – Tŷ Gwynedd Llanberis / Timelapse video – Tŷ Gwynedd Llanberis (youtube.com)