THE Welsh Government will double its spending on social housing for rent to £250 million this year in a bid to build 20,000 new low carbon homes during this Senedd term.

The Government says the plans will address a rising demand for housing and the climate crisis, with an emphasis on good quality and affordable green homes.

All 20,000 homes will be built to new quality and environmental standards, with the aim for some of the stock to go beyond net zero and produce more energy than they use, although specific details are yet to be announced.

Visiting one of Wales’ first ‘positive energy’ housing schemes in Bridgend, minister for climate change, Julie James, said: “We have doubled our money - committing a quarter of a billion pounds this financial year, so we can get on and build 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent.

“This goes beyond Welsh housing need estimates.

“We are building at scale to address the supply and demand imbalance, homelessness, the growing second homes crisis, and the climate emergency.

“We are building high quality homes to make a difference to people’s quality of living. And we are ensuring the decisions we make today are the right ones for our future generations.”

The Wales & West Housing scheme in Rhiw Cefn Gwlad is an example the Government would like developers, housing associations and councils to follow.

The 14 home development uses exhaust air heat pumps integrated with mechanical ventilation and large solar photovoltaic roof systems coupled with a Tesla battery system.

Residents who moved onto the estate in January received their first negative energy bill in March.

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Cai Phillips, who lives on the estate with his partner Abigail Rees, said: “The systems built into the house are really easy to use.

“The house is so well insulated that the temperature hardly drops below 20 degrees. Even on some of the coldest days in winter we didn’t need to put the heating on.

“I can control the heating from an app on my phone and I have learnt how to save energy by using the battery to self-power the house.

“We are paying just £20 a month for our electric bills and are in credit on our bills, which is amazing. The house is perfect.”

Housing played a major role in parties’ campaigns during the Senedd election earlier this year.

Around 67,000 people in Wales area believed to be on housing waiting lists and in inadequate housing.

The Welsh Conservatives have called on the Government to set more ambitious social housing targets.

The Tories’ shadow minister for climate change, Janet Finch-Saunders, said: “The Welsh Labour Government has once again set the bar so low it will be almost impossible not to clear it.

“Labour’s lack of ambition is holding back Welsh communities and means that renting good social housing is a pipedream for many. 

“We already have over 67,000 people languishing on waiting lists, which is equivalent to around 20,000 households, and it’s unacceptable.

“This new target would struggle to cover the social housing demand right now, let alone in the future.

“Welsh Labour need to get serious about house building, and fast.”

  • This article originally appeared on our site The National.