There should be more social homes available for people in Wales, according to a Senedd Committee report.

The Local Government and Housing Committee’s latest inquiry is calling for the creation of a national development corporation to speed up housebuilding by buying land and planning housing across Wales.

The committee’s report finds that local authorities and housing associations will struggle to build the number of houses required and that the solution is a new development corporation that could work on much larger sites.

It is calling on the Welsh Government to increase the amount spent on social housing to build 60,000 more homes, with the ultimate aim that 20 per cent of Wales’ housing stock falls into this category, up from 16 per cent today.

The report also says that the Development Bank of Wales should become a direct funder of social housing developments, potentially offering more favourable terms to those currently offered to social landlords by private investors.

Social housing, which is provided by local authorities and housing associations, has long waiting lists for people needing different types of accommodation.

Many of the properties available are two or three bedroomed homes, which are prioritised for families, meaning that people needing one-bedroom properties are stuck on waiting lists for longer.

John Griffiths, MS for Newport East and chairman of the Local Government and Housing Committee, said: “This report shows that the Welsh Government has a long way to go if they are to reach their target of 20,000 new homes by 2026.  

“A crucial part of delivering this is ensuring that there is a suitable mix of homes being built which must include more one-bedroom properties. The Welsh Government must work with local authorities and housing associations to make sure that this message gets through. 

“The Welsh Government needs to look at all the options at its disposal to tackle this problem. Empowering the Development Bank of Wales to become a direct funder of social housing developments is one way to boost the number of homes being built.  

“If we want to get to grips with the housing crisis then we have to build more social housing urgently - before the waiting lists get even longer.”