Welsh Government housing action welcomed by Mike

The first phase of a package of measures designed to support the Welsh housing industry and to help people get onto the property ladder has today been welcomed by Swansea East AM, Mike Hedges.   

The measures, which were announced earlier today by Housing Minister Carl Sargeant, include:

• The phased introduction of fire sprinklers in domestic properties from April 2014;
• A revised target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for all new homes in Wales, and;
• The setting up of a new “Help to Buy Cymru” shared equity scheme to help buyers struggling to secure a mortgage or purchase an affordable home.

The action being taken by the Minister is designed to complement the Welsh Government’s overall housing priority of building more properties to meet the growing housing needs of the Welsh population, as well as providing a local boost for construction jobs and the economy.         

Recent figures show that the Welsh Government is on target to achieve the construction of 7,500 new affordable homes by May 2016, and on target to bring an additional 5,000 empty homes back into use.

Speaking from the Senedd, Swansea AM Mike Hedges said:

“With the average age of first time buyers being in the mid-thirties, and expected to rise further, it’s vital that swift action is taken to support people who are either struggling to secure a mortgage or purchase an affordable family home.

“That’s why I’m pleased that the Welsh Government are taking action in this area, along with introducing measures to improve the overall quality and safety of Welsh homes.

“The roll out of fire sprinklers in new houses, flats, residential complexes and student dwellings will go a long way towards saving lives as well as reducing the devastating harm fires cause in local communities and neighbourhoods.”  

Housing Minister Carl Sargeant said:

“Building more homes is my priority. Doing this will not only meet growing housing need, but also generate growth and job, provide work to help people out of poverty and counter the effect of the bedroom tax.

“This package of measures represents the first phase of action to increase the supply of new homes in Wales. To build a rounded policy and encourage housing supply across all sectors, I have set up a small task force to look at the barriers to development. I will report further on this work in December.”