Affordable housing planned for Gwynedd village where ‘social fabric is under threat’

Plans have been announced to build affordable homes in a village where the social fabric is said to be “under threat” due to high property prices.

Gwynedd Council is behind the scheme at Maes Twnti in Morfa Nefyn aimed at providing “intermediate housing”.

Intermediate homes are those where prices or rents are above social rent levels – but still below the normal market rate.

The proposals are designed to help people who are not eligible for social housing but find it difficult to afford to buy or rent on the open market.

The council bought the site as part of its Tŷ Gwynedd scheme, and now has plans for nine properties, subject to planning approval.

Councillor Craig ab Iago, the council’s housing and property cabinet member, said there was “much need” for affordable homes in the Gwynedd area.

He said: “I’m extremely proud to be able to share the exciting news that we have bought our first land under the housing action plan.

“Increasingly there are lots of people who are working, but can’t afford to buy a home and are also not eligible for social housing.

“Gwynedd Council is leading the way in helping to solve this problem. We identified that gap and are doing something positive about it – it is quite an innovative scheme.

“The opportunities that will come to the residents of the area thanks to the hard work of our housing and property department are going to significantly change the housing situation of individuals and families for the better in the Morfa Nefyn area.”

The development land was the first to be purchased under the council’s housing action plan and it’s expected the homes will accommodate around 40 people.

It comes as a rise in second homes and holiday lets has partly been blamed for house price increases in rural and coastal areas of Wales.

The Morfa Nefyn homes are expected to be priced at about four times the annual average salary for local people rather than by market values – although the exact figure is not yet known.

In Gwynedd the average level of annual income is estimated at less than £30,000 but the average cost of a home currently stands at about £208,395.

Liz Saville-Roberts, Dwyfor Meirionnydd’s Member of Parliament said: “It’s so exciting to see the council taking the initiative and acquiring land in a community which, after Abersoch, may be the next to see its social fabric under threat.”

By Dale Spridgeon – Local Democracy Reporter