Vaughan Gething pledges to accelerate building social housing

Emily Price

Labour leadership candidate Vaughan Gething has pledged to speed up building social housing to help tackle the housing crisis and boost quality green jobs across Wales.

The economy minister says that if he were to be successful in his bid to become First Minister, his new measures will help ensure that public funds are converted into much-needed social housing as soon as possible.

He has promised that a future Welsh Labour Government with him as leader will incentivise innovations like modular housing to deliver sustainable homes with lower running costs at a faster pace.

Mr Gething said: “Right across Wales, we’re seeing the impact of 13 years of a Tory government on housing. Austerity has hit local councils’ planning budgets and the Tories’ economic chaos has driven up construction costs for businesses.

“Everyone deserves to have a place called home. I know what this means for people across Wales who need a decent home.

“By accelerating building social housing, we can help people across the country build a more secure future for themselves and their families and lay the foundation for a fairer Wales.”

Action

As construction accelerates, the leadership candidate says he will take new action to hard wire the jobs this creates into local communities.

He has pledged that the Welsh Government will help councils and social landlords combine their purchasing power to create green manufacturing jobs in Wales, with an early focus on producing heat pumps.

This will be supported by plans for a new National Manufacturing Institute for Wales to prepare people and businesses for highly skilled future jobs in the sector.

Mr Gething would also look to improve existing social homes through retrofitting, including via apprenticeships, helping to reduce fuel poverty and tackle the climate emergency.

The Welsh Government minister says he will also introduce new measures to speed up construction backed by new guidance or regulation where necessary.

It comes as Mr Gething meets staff at Creating Enterprise Modular Solutions Factory in Rhyl. The factory is a social enterprise and subsidiary of the housing association Cartrefi Conwy.

Speaking during the visit, Mr Gething added: “Where we invest in the homes our communities need, we must take bold action to root the jobs they create in Welsh communities.”