03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

A FAMILY has spoken of their delight and relief after moving into a low-carbon house in Ammanford, following years of private rental accommodation.

Steven and Michelle Potter, and their son Joshua, were handed the keys to the Coastal Housing property in August.

It is one of six solar panel-covered houses built by the housing association at a former petrol station site on Wind Street.

The family met Julie James, Minister for Housing and Local Government, when she visited the timber-clad development.

Mr Potter, who gave up work to care for eight-year-old Joshua, who is disabled, recalled seeing the new house for the first time.

“We were very, very pleased with it,” he said.

He added:  “I like the design – it’s very spacious inside, and very light. Joshua loves it to bits.”

Mr Potter said it was cheaper to rent than the family’s previous accommodation, and said their first monthly energy bill was just £19. It has crept up to £60, though, as autumn has set in.

Housing associations and councils in Wales are building more low-carbon homes.

The six Wind Street properties cost £970,000 to build, and the project was funded via the Welsh Government’s innovative housing programme.

Ms James, who is AM for Swansea West, said: “With decarbonisation firmly on Welsh Government’s agenda, it was great to visit a development that is achieving this standard of energy efficiency and hear from residents how homes like these are reducing their bills by such huge margins.”

Rhianydd Jenkins, head of development at Coastal Housing said: “We’re really proud to be pushing forward what is possible in terms of low carbon construction and that people are seeing the benefits through having more money in their pockets each month.”

Coastal Housing has teamed up with another housing association, Pobl Group, to build 144 low carbon homes in Penyrheol, Swansea.

Council planning officers are assessing the application for the Gywnfaen site, where the homes would have solar panels, home battery storage, and other energy-efficient design elements.

The planned development has received nearly £10 million of innovative housing programme funding.

%d bloggers like this: