Written question WQ83289

The ‘Welsh Development Quality Requirement 2021 - creating beautiful homes and places’ (WDQR2021) was published in August 2021. This sets out the standard for new affordable homes in Wales. It ensures all Welsh Government funded homes achieve low carbon standards.

The new standards apply to affordable homes from 1st October 2021, with market homes expected to meet Welsh Government low carbon standards by 2025, as recommended by the Independent Affordable Housing Supply review 2019.

Part L of the Building Regulations provides guidance on the conservation of fuel and power. It is our primary tool for raising minimum standards for new build market housing and conversions.

All new housing developments applying for Welsh Government Housing capital funding must be approved by officials in the housing technical team. The team comprises registered architects, and technical experts. New schemes are submitted by social landlords at concept stage (when they are early in the design process and before planning permission is applied for). The technical team assesses each scheme and determine whether it meets WDQR2021. This includes assessing plans to ensure they meet the challenging energy efficiency standards included in the new standard, and decarbonisation ambitions.

Once a scheme is determined to be compliant with the standard, it is approved and only then can Welsh Government housing funding be applied for by the landlord.

If a scheme is deemed not to comply with WDQR2021, then the technical team work closely with the social landlord to give feedback about the new housing development’s shortcomings and discuss ways in which the scheme can achieve the standard. This is a collaborative process, which recognises that some landlords need support at this time to comply with the standard, given the bold nature of WDQR2021.

When a new affordable housing development is completed, they are subject to post completion review. The technical team check what is actually built and how closely it matches the design and standards approved as set out in the funding terms and conditions for the scheme. A more rigorous post completion review process will commence next month, following the launch of the new standard, to reflect ambitious energy and decarbonisation standards.