5. 5. Statement: The Innovative Housing Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:51 pm on 24 October 2017.

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Photo of Carl Sargeant Carl Sargeant Labour 4:51, 24 October 2017

I’m grateful for the Member’s comments. As soon as data is available with regard to a position statement on the 20,000 homes, I will come to the Assembly and let Members know about that. We are having great success already, but I will give the further details as soon as they become available to me.

The number of homes under this scheme is 276. This is twice the number that we thought we were going to be able to deliver based on an assessment at the start of the programme. So, I think that, in terms of ambition, doubling the number is pretty effective. So, the Member will maybe want to consider those comments.

The issue of timber is—. The Member is right to raise the issue of timber. The problem of Welsh timber traditionally is that it hasn’t been the right grade of timber for construction. It has been used in assisting construction, but not as a main material. The timber industry in Wales has developed significantly over the last few years and we now have good quality timber available for building whole units. Therefore, the trials that we are using in this space are something that we will be looking at with interest. It has a great opportunity of reducing carbon and the carbon footprint of the whole home framework.

On containers, there will be some critics of my decision to use ex-shipping containers as modular units for accommodation. We have a housing crisis in our communities, and we have people sleeping on the streets. I want a safe, warm home for an individual on a temporary basis, and the container solutions are ones that offer that. They are used across the world. If Members go to the Docklands in London, they will see a village made up of them. Actually, what we are trying to prove with the concept is actually that potentially more well-off individuals will see this as a great yuppie-esque style living accommodation, and to prove that, actually, it’s not about putting anybody into this; there are people who want to pay money to live in these places. So, I think you should bear with us and see if this actually works and what that lived-in experience is like. If it’s not the right thing to do, then we should stop that, but I don’t think it’s worthy of not trying, and I will be happy to take the criticism alongside of that.

The Member asked for detail of where schemes lie. I can assure the Member there are schemes the length and breadth of Wales, from Anglesey across over to Flintshire, from Monmouthshire over to Pembrokeshire, and bits in between. There are 22 projects and the Member will have further details, on the website, later this week. It’s unfortunate that we have been unable to finalise details with the companies and successful programmes in order to give Members details today, but I can assure you that, as soon as we do have that, by the end of the week, it will be on the website for Members.