Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, has visited Dôl-y-Ddraig housing development in Merthyr Tydfil, a flagship regeneration scheme breathing new life into one of the Hoover site’s long‑derelict plots and setting the pace for transformation across the region.
Backed by the £35 million Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) Housing Viability Gap Fund (HVGF), Dôl-y-Ddraig is one of the programme’s most advanced and high‑profile developments.
Delivered by Davies Homes, the project is turning a dormant stretch of the Hoover Strategic Regeneration Area into a new 200‑home mixed‑tenure community. It forms a standout example of the wider HVGF mission, which is regenerating brownfield land equivalent to 132 football pitches, delivering 2,500 homes and supporting more than 3,000 jobs across South East Wales.
During the visit, the Cabinet Secretary toured the site, viewed homes at various stages of construction and met with representatives from CCR and Davies Homes to discuss the development’s impact on housing supply, placemaking and economic regeneration.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant said:
“Dôl-y-Ddraig is a powerful example of what can be achieved when we unlock the potential of long derelict sites and turn them into places people are proud to call home.
“The Housing Viability Gap Fund, which the Welsh Government has supported with £15 million of funding overall is another example of how we’re working with UK Government to deliver for Wales – bringing more homes to the communities that need them most, while creating jobs and supporting economic growth.
“It's inspiring to see the progress being made here in Merthyr Tydfil and I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to this transformational project.”
CCR is one of the UK’s city regions, bringing together ten local authorities across South East Wales, working in partnership with the Welsh and UK Governments, to drive inclusive economic growth by investing in infrastructure, skills, innovation and sustainable development.
Kellie Beirne, CCR’s Chief Executive, added:
“Dôl-y-Ddraig shows the difference targeted regional investment can make not just in building new homes, but in breathing new life into communities, unlocking stalled sites and boosting local economies. This development is exactly what the Housing Viability Gap Fund was designed to achieve and it’s fantastic to see the site taking shape.
“We’re proud to work with partners like Davies Homes to deliver long‑term benefits for people and places across South East Wales.”
Matthew Davies, Davies Homes’s Managing Director, said:
“We are immensely proud of the progress being made at Dôl-y-Ddraig. This site has sat dormant for many years and to see it becoming a thriving, high‑quality neighbourhood is incredibly rewarding. The support from Cardiff Capital Region has been vital in bringing this development forward, and we’re pleased to be delivering new homes that will benefit the community for generations to come.”
