Cardiff set to buy 100 properties from Wates

Cardiff City Council has agreed in principle to buy more than 100 homes from developer Wates, amid ongoing uncertainty in the housing market caused by COVID-19.

The cabinet agreed last week to purchase a total of 102 homes from the developer, subject to due diligenceand use them as council homes or for council-approved assisted home ownership.

These include 28 four-bedroom houses on Wates’ development in Willowbrook, St. Mellons, which have not been reserved or sold.

According to the cabinet report, the Willowbrook site is operational and the properties well advanced.

The council is also set to buy 30 two bed flats in Briardean, North Road, that have not yet been marketed.

This is in addition to the nine council properties already being built on the site. In addition, the council will also buy 33 flats and houses in Highfields, Heath.

‘It would also be possible for the council to consider sale of some units for affordable key worker housing.’

‘An opportunity to acquire 102 more homes than we originally expected through our award-winning Cardiff Living partnership with Wates Residential has arisen,’ said cabinet member for housing and communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne.

‘The properties include 28 four-bed houses at Silvervale Park, St. Mellons, 30 two-bed flats at Briardene, North Road, 33 Passivhaus-compliant flats and houses at Highfields, Heath and 11 houses at Llandudno Road, Rumney. These additional homes could provide much-needed, good-quality, affordable homes which the council could rent, or they could potentially go up for sale via our assisted home-ownership scheme.

‘This is an opportunity we want to thoroughly investigate to see what value it could give residents, the taxpayer and the council.’

Photo Credit – Jamie Hailstone