Still time to have your say on the future of housing in Carmarthenshire

THERE is still time to have your say on the future of housing in Carmarthenshire.

Residents and businesses are being asked for their views on Carmarthenshire County Council’s new 10-year Housing and Regeneration Masterplan.

Providing quality, affordable homes is a key priority for the council and it is investing millions of pounds in new housing stock; creating much-needed jobs and helping to grow the local economy and regenerate communities.

In 2015, the council became the first in Wales to suspend the Right to Buy to retain its declining housing stock, and built a number of bungalows – the first local authority housing to be built in Wales since the 1980s.

A year later, in 2016, it launched its affordable homes plan to deliver 1,000 additional affordable homes in the county by 2021 by building new, buying from the market and converting empty buildings.

Now the council is shaping its plans for the next 10 years which includes building over 900 new council homes and investing nearly £150million across the county by 2029.

The public consultation closes on July 26.

Cllr Linda Evans, Executive Board Member for Housing, said: “It is important that new homes are of the right type, size and tenure, and in the right places to build strong sustainable communities where people want to live and work.

“This includes our rural towns and villages, where we must help to make sure that local people are able to afford quality affordable homes and remain in their communities; as well as increasing the residential offer in our town centres, increasing footfall and helping businesses to thrive.

“Aside from providing much needed homes in the county, the investment will also boost the local economy creating jobs, training opportunities and apprenticeships in the construction industry.”