Housebuilders express interest in teaming up with council

SEVERAL housebuilders have expressed an interest in teaming up with Swansea Council to deliver around 350 homes throughout the city.

They would be built on 30 council-owned sites in nine wards, with 20% or more to be affordable properties.

The council has tested the market with its 10-year plan, and said it has received 36 expressions of interest.

The houses could include private ones, with others to be rented from the authority.

Cllr Andrea Lewis, cabinet member for homes and energy, said the council was working hard to improve Swansea’s housing stock to meet a shortage of affordable homes.

“We want high-quality partners to help us deliver homes on around 30 potential development sites and will help meet the need for more housing across the city,” she said.

“The response we have had has been very positive and illustrates a keenness by developers who want to work with the council to create new homes in Swansea.”

The 30 sites in question are in Bonymaen, Clydach, Cockett, Gower, Mynyddbach, Penderry, St Thomas, West Cross and city centre ward, Castle.

The first sites earmarked for potential development include one off Llanerch Road and Ty-Draw Road, Bonymaen; Penrhos Place, Gendros; Monksland, Scurlage; and Westdale Road and Milford Way, both Penderry.

In the medium term, sites off Brokesby Road, Bonymaen, Graigola Road in Glais, and Tanycoed Road in Clydach could be built on.

Further details about other sites will emerge in due course.

The authority has already built new council properties at Colliers Way, Penderry, with a second phase under way.

In addition, 16 council properties at Parc yr Helig, Birchgrove, are due to be finished this year – and a further 24 are planned off Hill View Crescent in Clase.

The build cost for each Parc yr Helig unit, factoring in renewable energy measures and site development costs, is just over £200,000.

The council is also spending £117 million in 2019 and 2020 to upgrade its council housing stock.