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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Council needs to target Gower for affordable housing says Assembly Member
July 21, 2009 12:00 AM
News that average house prices in Gower are well in excess of those elsewhere in the City underlines the need for the Council to take action to get affordable housing into the area so that locals are not priced out of the market, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, Peter Black has said.
At present, prices in Gower are around 25% higher than the Swansea Council average, at around £260,000. But there is concern that the area could become a target for investors and second home owners as prices are still relatively low compared to other similar locations, even though they have risen 200% in the last ten years. The upmarket estate agents, Savills have claimed that Gower could be among a small group of places that could become a new ultra-prime super-destination.
Mr Black said: "These sorts of prices have a drastic affect on local communities and on the ability of local people to stay in the area where they were brought up and have family. The situation is made worse by planning restrictions that prevent development and this in turn drives up prices.
"I would like to see Swansea Council being more proactive in dealing with this problem, identifying exemption sites where affordable homes can be built, encouraging housing associations to buy up empty properties and converting them and ensuring that any infill development in Gower brings planning gain with at least a third of new homes being sold or rented at a more affordable price.
"The planning and housing policies for Gower need to be revisited to ensure that they take into account affordability and that some relaxation of the rules on a limited basis can be made to accommodate that. Obviously Gower will always attract people prepared to pay a premium to live in a beautiful environment but we should not allow that to exclude others living there who have less money."
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