4. Will the Minister provide an update on housing regeneration schemes in Wales? OAQ(5)0050(CC)

I thank the Member for Delyn for her question. Our Vibrant and Viable Places areas are taking a whole-place approach to regeneration, and are contributing positively to the housing agenda in Wales, in terms of increasing supply, improving standards and improving the energy of homes.

Diolch. Cabinet Secretary, I’m sure you’ll be aware of SHARP, Flintshire County Council’s strategic housing and regeneration programme, the first of its kind in Wales to pioneer ambitious housing investment plans. The council’s leading by example on how to tackle housing shortages, including, for the first time in many, many years, building new council homes. In my own constituency, Flint town centre’s been transformed as part of the Flint master plan, which will see 30 new council houses and over 60 affordable properties being built. Will you, Cabinet Secretary, join me in recognising the lead Flintshire County Council has taken on this, and will you urge others to take similar steps across the country?

I thank her for the question. I am familiar with the SHARP programme. I’m very pleased to see the excellent work by Flintshire council. Councillor Bernie Attridge is leading the charge in terms of delivery in that area and I’m very grateful that local authorities are starting to build a council house programme again. That, tied in with the abolition of the right to buy, will start to generate the stock that we long remember, which is quality housing, in the public sector, for people in need, and, in particular, recognising the good work that’s going on in her constituency.

Well, clearly, right to buy doesn’t build new houses and the welcome but very late abolition of the housing revenue account subsidy system only enables limited borrowing. Housing regeneration isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about people and communities. How, therefore, will you ensure that local authorities that retained their stock, often because tenants were scared with misinformation, can learn from—yes, you know—the good work of particularly places like Cartrefi Conwy and Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd, which have hosted events that I’ve attended—tenants events—that are showing how the wider regeneration of the community is helping to support people to tackle the things holding them back and to live independent and full lives?

I’m really impressed with the housing sector and their ability to diversify, and not just build in bricks and mortar, but resilient communities. That also goes for registered social landlords and stock transfer, but also the local authorities that have kept their stock. And I don’t believe that the case the Member may be referring to was misinformation; actually it was the choice of the people. That was the important thing. They chose to keep their stock and they’re doing a very good job of that and building more council homes in the areas that are needed.

I’d certainly echo that, Cabinet Secretary, and certainly in the case of Cardiff council. I just wanted to revisit the issue of empty homes, because I know that the Government’s done a great deal of work to try and get empty homes back into use. But there are still over 20,000 empty homes that could be providing homes for people who desperately need them. And as it only costs around £30,000 to bring an empty home back into use, it’s clearly a lot less than building a new one. Unfortunately, house builders are averse to restoring empty homes because there’s not as much profit in it, and instead they want to build rabbit hutches, often, instead of protecting the traditional vernacular of an area. So, I wondered what more can the Government do, along with local authorities, to ensure that every house is a wanted home.

Of course, the Member raises and recognises the important intervention we have had with our empty homes scheme, and we have certainly been delivering on that. I also mentioned the other week the 20,000 homes that we are seeking to build, with a mixture of tenures and tenancies. I also think empty homes will go a long way to increase the supply, in addition to the 20,000 homes, and we’ll continue to do that. I believe that they are generally of good stock that just need refurbishing, and that’s something that I’ve asked my team to give me some further advice on.