Written question WQ85833

This Government is committed to delivering 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent in the social sector during this Senedd term. To reflect this commitment, we have provided record levels of funding to the Social Housing Grant through the budget with £300m in 2022-23 and indicative draft budget allocations of £330m in 2023-24 and £325m in 2024-25.

From our estimates of housing need, we know there is a need for all types of housing in Wales. Specifically in North Wales, we know that under central estimates an additional 1,200 homes are needed each year with 47% of this estimated need is for market housing and 53% for affordable housing (intermediate rent or social).

It is the responsibility of Local Authorities to undertake periodical reviews of housing need, discharged through the Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA) process. The quality and currency of the outputs from the assessments are particularly important to the evidence base for Local Development Plans and play a vital part in delivering market and affordable housing and in meeting housing need.

A new approach to undertaking LHMAs was published on 31 March 2022. This new approach provides more consistency in how LHMAs are undertaken by providing a pre-populated tool. The new approach also includes Welsh Government review and sign-off of LHMAs.