4. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to meet affordable housing need? OAQ53163

I thank the Member for the question. The Welsh Government takes a widening range of actions to help meet housing need across Wales. In this term, we are making a record £1.7 billion-worth of investment in housing.

Diolch. As you know, 'Planning Policy Wales' requires local planning authorities to set capacity thresholds for residential developments, above which a proportion of affordable housing should be sought from developers. In Flintshire's case, the policy seeks to provide at least 30 per cent affordable housing on sites with a minimum of 25 dwellings. Well, despite evidence of local affordable housing need, the circumstances and apparent contradictory evidence applying to an application in Buckley has led to a site of 28 units going forward without affordable housing inclusion. What consideration will you therefore give to the call from Buckley Town Council for an investigation into the circumstances that allowed this to happen and the precedent this sets if not nipped in the bud? 

I thank the Member for the general point that he made at the outset about the importance of the planning regime in making sure that we are able to maximise the opportunities that there are for additional affordable housing across Wales. He will know that my colleague Lesley Griffiths, then responsible for that matter, published 'Planning Policy Wales: Edition 10' shortly before Christmas, which attempts to draw together some key strands in planning policy and to align them with the purpose that Mark Isherwood outlined. I'm not directly familiar with the call that Buckley Town Council has made in relation to the specific scheme that the Member outlined, but the Minister with responsibility for housing and planning is in her place and we'll make sure that we follow up the specific issue that the Member has raised this afternoon.

Is it not time for real innovation now—modular homes, container homes, prefabricated homes that are temporary and available to move if, say, land is sold by councils or private land owners? Bristol City Council recently went against its own planning policy for a small development of one-person homes. It was encouraged to set new precedents by the applicants in the interest of dealing with the housing crisis; that is exactly what it did. Similarly, pods for rough-sleepers could go some way to starting to give rough-sleepers shelter and the support they need to move on. Some of these housing solutions are already made in Wales and all of them can be developed into businesses here. Why does your Government not support them?

Well, Llywydd, I think we do support innovation in the housing field. We have a specific funding strand to support innovative ways in which the housing needs and demands here in Wales can be met. In the debate that was held in the Chamber here last week, a number of Members made contributions that talked about the opportunities there are for manufacture off site and new construction methods that we can deploy in that way. I wouldn't be in a position to commit to the specifics that the Member has outlined this afternoon, but the general point that she makes I think is one that is very consistent already with Government policy.