Business News Wales is launching a new podcast focused on the housing sector in Wales, creating another platform for industry leaders to examine the challenges affecting housing delivery and the changes needed to build stronger communities.
The new podcast forms part of an expanded commitment to housing from Business News Wales, alongside its dedicated Housing section and a new Housing Editorial Board, which brings together senior voices from across the sector to identify and explore the issues shaping its future. Both Launch at the end of October.
The first episode, Building Communities: The Future of Social Housing in Wales, asks a fundamental question: if Wales needs significantly more social and affordable housing, what needs to change to enable the sector to deliver it faster and at greater scale?
Hosted by Business News Wales’ and commissioned by Menzies, the discussion brings together Bethan Evans, Partner at Menzies; Rhea Stevens, Head of Policy and External Affairs at Community Housing Cymru; Iwan Trefor Jones, Chief Executive of Adra; and Liz Gibbons, Partner at Devonshires Solicitors LLP.
The conversation will explore some of the interconnected challenges influencing housing delivery, including planning, access to land, infrastructure, funding, construction costs and skills.
Rather than looking at these issues individually, the podcast series will consider how the wider housing system works together and where closer collaboration between government, housing providers, developers, construction businesses and professional services could help accelerate delivery.
The launch builds on the new Business News Wales Housing Editorial Board, which brought together leaders from housing, industry and organisations supporting communities across Wales recently, hosted at CCR Energy offices in Aberthaw.
The Board is designed to provide an ongoing forum for discussion around the major challenges and opportunities facing the sector, with insights from its discussions helping to inform future journalism, podcasts, features and wider editorial coverage.
The ambition is also to broaden the housing conversation. While the number of homes Wales builds remains critical, the series will examine housing in the context of economic development, infrastructure, skills, energy, investment and the creation of successful communities.
Future episodes will bring together different voices from across the housing ecosystem, providing a regular opportunity to examine the barriers to delivery as well as the ideas, partnerships and innovations that could help address them.
