Siân Gwenllian MS, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
As I said in my Oral Statement of 9 June, a safe, warm home is something that everyone in Wales should have. Home is the foundation for our health and our well-being, our connection to our communities and our ability to learn and to work. I'm determined to increase the supply of social homes over this Senedd term, which will enable us to tackle homelessness, to keep people out of unsuitable temporary accommodation, to make housing more affordable and to give people greater choice over where they live.
This Government is committed to supporting the delivery of 20,000 additional social homes by 2030, ensuring that they are of high quality and are energy efficient. Since taking post I have been impressed by the current and future pipeline of social housing, that our partners have developed. I will work relentlessly with local authorities, Registered Social Landlords, community groups and other homebuilders to deliver on this target.
I am clear that this target will focus on delivering genuinely affordable homes that remain accessible to communities over the long term. It will therefore be limited to homes for social rent and intermediate rent where affordability is secured in perpetuity. This includes homes, that fall under those categories, that are delivered by community-led housing projects.
Alongside new build homes, additional stock brought into the social sector through acquisition will also form part of the target delivery. There is an immediate need for homes across Wales. It is therefore essential that partners are equipped to respond to this urgency, including through the appropriate use of acquisitions.
Relevant official statistics are already published annually as part of Affordable Housing Provision statistics.
Any sales of homes provided for social rent or intermediate rent will be deducted from target delivery progress.
Whilst official data collected does not specifically capture information on carbon levels, all homes that count toward the target are required to meet specific standards including energy efficiency. Detail of the standards will continue to be set out in a quality report that accompanies official Affordable Housing Provision statistics.
In terms of measurement and milestones of progress, we have set a collective nation-wide four-year period for the target, reflecting the cycle of bringing homes from pipeline stage to build completion is not linear.
The target delivery period will run from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2030 to align with official statistics.
By defining the target in this way, we are providing full transparency and ensuring it is firmly focused on delivering homes that remain affordable for the long term.
Moreover, delivering progress on the recommendations of the Affordable Housing Taskforce, alongside progressing the establishment of Unnos, will bring the focus firmly on supporting delivery.
Unnos will support us in unblocking the barriers that have held back housing delivery for years. I will set out its purpose and remit in more detail, within the first 100 days of our Government.
I am also determined to reduce the complexity and bureaucracy of planning processes. As a first step, within our first 100 days, we will publish an implementation plan for the Planning (Wales) Act 2026 and the Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026, setting out our approach, the key steps and the timetable for their implementation.
We also committed in our manifesto to exploring opportunities for further permitted development rights in relation to community-led housing and to make it easier to convert empty buildings on high streets and spaces above shops into residences. These measures could help both to secure additional social homes in local communities and regenerate town centres.
As I have already made clear, this government will also continue to promote and support a range of other housing policies which deliver affordable homes, that meet the needs of people and communities.