Measures Must Be Taken to Solve Our Housing Crisis

It is paramount now more than ever to work to support the housing sector and provide adequate and sustainable homes for the people of Wales.

RICS welcomes the creation of the Affordable Homes Taskforce by the Welsh Government to identify the barriers to unlocking housing delivery in Wales, especially as the government is behind in its 20,000 new homes target. The government’s most recent housing statistics indicate that house build starts were down 19% between 2021-2022 and 2022-20231.

But it’s not just the limited budget that’s causing challenges for the Welsh housing sector. Increased costs of raw materials, higher interest rates and planning delays are all limiting the number of homes that can be built in Wales. RICS is calling on the Welsh Government to support the sector, including resourcing social housing providers, to overcome these issues so that we can build infrastructure to serve our people and economy.

On top of these other challenges, Wales, like the rest of the UK, is facing a shortage of skilled professionals, and we need more support to address this ongoing challenge. The latest RICS construction monitor showed us that surveyors continue to report shortages in skilled workers across all sectors. And through the final quarter of 2024, surveyors in Wales report that the skills shortages have worsened when compared to the quarter previous.

RICS is glad to see the launch of recent built environment degree apprenticeships across Wales, initiatives we have long been pushing the Welsh Government to fund and create parity for students across the rest of the UK. It is encouraging that the government invested in such education, especially against a background of wider cuts to apprenticeships in Wales. Whilst this will not solve the skills challenge overnight, it is a step in the right direction to creating and retaining home growth talent.

With dedicated resources allocated to funding apprenticeships and training, we can address and work to close the skills gap. In turn, we can work towards providing more suitable housing for local communities in Wales.

Wales is also taking the lead in innovative education routes, such as the creation of the Built Environment GCSE to inspire the next generation of professionals into the industry.

However, it’s not just additional housing that’s required, but sustainable, well-built housing that’s fit for the future. In response to the climate emergency, Senedd Cymru approved a net zero target for 2050. Between 2021 and 2025, the Welsh Government set out carbon budget 2, which is an average 37% reduction in carbon emissions in Wales, which will move to carbon budget 3 between 2026 and 2030, aiming to see an average 58% reduction.

To support such strategies, RICS launched the first residential retrofit standard last year to support the nationwide effort to decarbonise the residential property sector.

This new standard comes as a response to a demand for high-quality, residential retrofit advice, spurred on by increasingly high energy prices and net-zero targets, and will provide a framework within which RICS members can advise their customers on retrofit options in homes. It also ensures that consumers receive advice from skilled, regulated professionals and ultimately protects the public interest by upholding high standards in a growing market.

As a professional body, RICS recognises that we are custodians of our built and natural environment, protecting our rich history and heritage in Wales and beyond. In my role as Chair of the RICS Regional Board in Wales, I will continue to champion the importance of the built and natural environment as both a key economic driver and in the role it plays in promoting a sustainable and growing economy.