Welsh Government Measures to Protect Social Housing Stock

Landmark legislation abolishing the Right to Buy housing policy will come into force in Wrexham and across Wales.

The Bill, which was granted Royal Ascent this week, aims to protect housing stock and incentivise the building of new social housing.

Between 1981 and 2016, over 139,000 local authority and housing association homes were sold off under the Right to Buy across Wales.  Locally, over 6,000 council homes have been sold since the creation of Wrexham County Borough in 1996, with many ending up in the private rented sector.

As a result, housing waiting lists have increased significantly and many vulnerable people are unable to acquire social housing at all.

Wrexham’s Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths, is a long-time supporter of the legislation and said:  “Constituents regularly contact my office with housing issues but this Welsh Government Bill will help provide safe, secure and affordable housing for people who are unable to buy or rent a home of their own.  It will give local authorities and housing associations the confidence to invest in new developments, safe in the knowledge these homes will not be at risk of being sold after only a few years.”

“I am pleased Welsh Labour is continuing to deliver on its manifesto commitments.  As well as ending Right to Buy, the Welsh Labour Government is committed to investing in housing, pledging to create 20,000 more affordable homes by 2021.”