Number of affordable homes council needs over next 13 years revealed

Anthony Lewis – Local democracy reporter

The number of affordable homes a county borough needs each year over the next 13 years has been revealed.

The local housing market assessment (LHMA) covering 2022 to 2037 estimates there is a need for 453 affordable homes a year.

Given the existing development programme and projected existing re-lets this means a net need of 114 extra affordable homes per year until 2027 across the whole of Merthyr Tydfil.

Of the net need of 114 additional affordable homes the assessment identified a particularly high need for one-bedroom social rent accommodation within the borough.

Over the first five years (2022-27) this category accounts for an estimated 99% of all social housing needs, the assessment said.

Surge

For the remaining 10 years of the LHMA period there is an estimated need of 11 affordable homes per year.

The assessment said this surge can be attributed to several factors including legislative reforms, socioeconomic factors, and post-pandemic economic factors which have resulted in a significant increase in homelessness presentations.

It said: “Although this need is particularly high it is important to ensure that a mix of house types and tenures is provided on new developments in order to achieve the council’s objective of creating sustainable and resilient communities.”

The assessment currently highlights a need to increase the provision of adapted homes with, as of March 2024, 9.4% of households registered for housing reporting a need for adaptions ranging from basic low-level aids and adaptations to fully adapted and accessible homes.

The assessment also estimates the need for 35 market homes throughout the county per year consisting of 23 private rented (66%) and 12 owner-occupier properties (33%).

It said the figures in the assessment outline the additional housing need for the county borough and not those of planned developments but the council is
working to increase the development of affordable homes at pace and scale, working closely with partner developing community landlords.

This assessment uses Welsh Government guidance to assess Merthyr Tydfil’s housing needs from 2022 to 2037.

A range of information sources were used to feed into the assessment including an analysis of the local housing registers, household projections,
homelessness data, house prices, rental prices, household incomes, dwelling stock turnover, and housing supply data.

The local housing market assessment will go before full council on Wednesday, April 17.