Work begins on first Caerphilly council homes in 18 years

Caerphilly County Borough Council are set to deliver new energy efficient homes in Trecenydd, funded by the Welsh government’s Innovative Housing Programme.

The development consists of 6 1-bedroom apartments, fitted with high levels of insulation, high performance windows, airtight building fabric and a mechanical heat ventilation system, to help lower carbon emissions and cuts costs for tenants.

There are currently over 4,500 people registered for social housing in the county borough, so the Council are prioritising developing homes to meet the demand.

Council leader, Cllr Philippa Marsden, said: ‘New Council homes have not been built in the borough for 18 years, so this marks a significant milestone for us. 

‘We are incredibly excited to embark on this journey, with the pilot schemes at Trecenydd and Trethomas being the first steps in a large-scale programme of development over the coming years.’

The Welsh government has awarded £3.1m to fund the development costs at the Trecenydd site, along with a 12 1-bedroom development at Llanfabon Drive in Trethomas.

The homes are being built at the site of the former 49 Club, in partnership with construction company Willmott Dixon and local manufacturers Caledan Ltd, and are expected to be complete in 2022.

The Council and construction company hope that by using local supply chains the project will deliver wider benefits for the community.

Director of Willmott Dixon, Andrew Dobbs, said: ‘We are delighted to be delivering new council homes for Caerphilly. By working with local company Caledan, as well as delivering low carbon homes, the project is directly supporting the local economy and local jobs.’

In related news, a former commercial site is set to be developed by Cornwall Council into a housing scheme for former rough sleepers.

Photo by Andy Watkins