Part of 2. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 4 October 2016.
First Minister, areas across Wales have a substantial amount of brownfield land that could be used to build social and affordable housing. Brownfield sites are often an unknown quantity though, and if we add into the mix the potential on some sites for contamination by asbestos, lead and other substances, it is easy to see why developers are often not prepared to take the risk of developing a brownfield site. This puts yet more pressure on local authorities to permit building on open green spaces, or much-needed housing is simply not built. What measures is the Welsh Government prepared to take to incentivise developers to build on brownfield sites rather than greenfield sites, and what assistance is the Welsh Government prepared to give to developers to support them in the decontamination of brownfield sites?