Some of the first new homes to be built by Swansea Council for a generation are being completed this month.
Construction of more than fifty new properties built for affordable rent ranging from flat conversions to three-bedroom family homes are being completed and will be prepared for tenants to move into in the coming months.
Twenty-five new homes in Hillview Crescent, Clase, 18 homes in Colliers Way, Penlan and eight flats in the former Bryn House in Walter Road are all coming on stream.
The package of new homes is part of a multi-million pound investment in the future of social housing in Swansea that aims to see the council build 1,000 new homes over the coming decade.
This year alone it’s expected more than £7m will be spent by the council building new homes, creating and protecting jobs and apprenticeships for local people as part of the process.
Andrea Lewis, Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy and Service Transformation said tenants will be thrilled with their new homes which will be among the most energy-efficient new homes anywhere in Wales.
She said: “Good quality, affordable homes for rent are in great demand in Swansea both for single people and for families. In the coming year we’ll be investing around £7m more in new homes to keep the momentum going.
Cllr Lewis said the Council’s ambitious spending programme for council housing reflected its commitment to providing high-quality homes that are energy-efficient and affordable for tenants.
She said: “Better homes for our residents is one of the critical building blocks of creating a better future for children, for families and for our city.
“Despite the pandemic we have continued with our house-building programme because better homes improve people’s health, affordable homes that are energy efficient helps reduce poverty and together they contribute to happier communities.
She said: “Under our More Homes initiative, the new homes we’re building are the first we’ve been allowed to do in a generation. We’re determined they will break new ground in levels of energy efficiency so our tenants will be able to keep fuel bills down.
“Over the next decade, we will continue to improve energy efficiency of our homes to reduce carbon emissions. Our commitment to better homes has and will continue to create hundreds of jobs for our communities. Better homes is about building a better Swansea.”
Funding for the new homes and the upgrades for existing homes is coming from the rents paid by tenants, Welsh Government grants and HRA borrowing. None of the spending is from the council tax.
