Cardiff Council is set to boost the city’s affordable housing supply with a major new site acquisition in response to an “ongoing housing emergency”.
The council is seeking to purchase land at Central Quay off Penarth Road, which has the potential to deliver up to 720 new apartments, including options for both private rented homes as well as council homes.
The authority said the development – five plots within the wider masterplan for the Central Quay development – would help maintain the pace of affordable housing delivery amid ongoing demand pressures.
The council's Cabinet is due to consider approving the acquisition of land at Central Quay at its next meeting on Thursday, January 22. If approved, the council will decide how to appoint development partners after reviewing the types and quantity of the homes that can be built.
Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said:
“This acquisition represents our ongoing commitment to increasing the availability of affordable housing, ensuring that our city remains resilient in the face of the housing emergency.
“The limited availability and high costs in Cardiff’s private rented sector are among the key pressures driving that crisis, so this opportunity is particularly promising because, subject to feasibility work, it could allow us to offer homes for private rent at more affordable prices.”
The council’s house building programme has delivered more than 1,700 new council homes to date. In the current financial year, more than 200 new homes have been delivered and it is expected that over 300 new homes will be completed by year end.
Meanwhile, the council’s housing associations partners are expected to deliver 320 new homes in Cardiff this year and a total of 1,313 over the next five years. The overall five-year projection for new affordable homes across all partners is 3,337.
The council said its collaborative approach to delivering new council homes – through initiatives like the Cardiff Living scheme with Wates Residential and a new partnership with Lovell and the Vale of Glamorgan Council – has been recognised for accelerating affordable housing delivery and reducing risk.
It added that it is also adopting innovative strategies to boost supply, including the purchase and conversion of former commercial properties, such as the transformation of Scott Harbour in Cardiff Bay, which is providing 78 new council apartments.
Cllr Thorne added:
“Our housing services continue to experience severe pressures. Securing new development opportunities like Central Quay is a priority to ensure we maintain momentum in delivering affordable homes, supporting families and communities across the city.”
