County named worst in Wales for delivery of new affordable homes

Lewis Smith Local Democracy Reporter

A Welsh county was the worst area in Wales for the development of additional affordable homes between 2025 and 2026, Welsh Government data has revealed.

The figures showed that a total of 3,865 additional affordable housing units were delivered across Wales between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, though only 53 of these were created in Bridgend.

Cardiff came in as the local authority area with the highest number of affordable homes delivered at 709 units or 18% of the Wales total.

However, when considering the number of households in each area, Pembrokeshire was the authority with the highest delivery rate at 52.7 units per 10,000 households.

Bridgend county borough had the lowest delivery rate at 8.3 units per 10,000 households, a total of 53 units delivered between April 2025 and March 2026.

A spokesman for Bridgend County Borough Council said a number of developments were currently in the process of applying for planning permission, with the authority aiming to deliver 1,700 homes between now and 2033.

In a statement they said: “The council’s replacement Local Development Plan, which was adopted in 2024, aims to ensure that more than 1,700 affordable homes will have been delivered by 2033.

“In the two years since the plan was adopted, a number of residential developments are in the process of obtaining planning consent, and the council is currently confident that it will meet its target.”

Across Wales, the 3,865 additional affordable housing units delivered during 2025 to 2026 was an increase of 6% or 222 units, compared to those delivered the previous year and the highest total since data was first recorded in 2007 to 2008.

Commenting on the findings, Jonny Christie, co-founder of The Property Buying Company, said: “The latest figures show some real progress in affordable housing delivery across Wales, with more homes provided than at any point since records began.

“With housing affordability still a major issue for many households, increasing the number of affordable homes is an important part of addressing that problem.

“What stands out is how much delivery varies between local authorities. Cardiff delivered the most homes overall, but Pembrokeshire recorded the highest rate when you take the number of households into account.

“It shows why we need to look beyond the total number of homes being delivered to understand what’s happening in different parts of Wales.

“The challenge now is keeping that progress going. It’s not just about delivering more homes, but making sure they’re being provided in the areas where people need them most.”