Housing Strategy
Appendix 1
Setting the scene – Pembrokeshire’s Housing Context
Clearly, in developing a housing strategy it is necessary to take into account the wide range of factors which describe the local housing market and then consider whether it meets the current and future needs of the local population. Similar considerations go into the development of Housing Market Assessments that form the evidence base for housing policies within Local Development Plans, for instance, comparing the relative scale and affordability of the local housing market against population and income data.
However, the Housing Strategy concerns a broader judgement of the suitability of the local housing market by considering wider factors associated with the suitability of the local housing circumstances including for instance, associated impacts on homelessness, the condition of local housing and addressing the more specialised housing needs of vulnerable households. In order to achieve this, the Housing Strategy takes into account a relatively broad evidence base, including a range of data from existing studies and contemporary demand data from front-line housing-related services.
Pembrokeshire in context
The County of Pembrokeshire is situated to the far south west of Wales and covers an area of approximately 1600 sq. km, of which roughly 615 sq. km comprises the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park covering the entire coast of the county. Pembrokeshire is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the northeast and is the fifth largest county in Wales by area. The county is recognised for its outstanding natural beauty and its unique natural environment which includes diverse marine and land fauna and flora including many protected species. The coastline is dotted with small islands and natural coves and boasts an 186 mile long coastal path that runs from one end of the county to the other with picturesque beaches on the route that attract thousands of tourists every year. The many unique and valuable natural assets mean the county is subject to a number of environmental designations including Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSI’s) and regionally important geological and geomorphological sites.
With an overall population of around 123,400 people, Pembrokeshire accounts for just 3.97% of the total population in Wales. Pembrokeshire’s Well Being Assessment 2022 reports that, in common with many rural Welsh Counties, Pembrokeshire is not a particularly diverse place in terms of ethnicity or other equality communities. The percentage of people who are from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic origin in 2021, based on the National Survey, is estimated at 1.3%, one of the lowest figures in Wales, though this is based on a small sample. About 2.4% of the population is from an ethnic minority based on initial figures from the 2021 Census
Compared with the rest of Wales, a comparatively high proportion of people in Pembrokeshire are from a Gypsy Traveller background and Pembrokeshire has one of the highest number of Traveller site pitches in Wales – 174 caravans in 2020 out of a total of 1,092 in Wales.
Pembrokeshire is sparsely populated by comparison with many counties in England and Wales. By comparison with the rest of Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOA) in England and Wales, many of Pembrokeshire’s communities are sparsely populated with half of the 16 MSOA areas in the county in the 10% least densely populated areas in England and Wales as at the 2011 census. The most densely populated area in Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest North, is still below the England and Wales median. The major population centres of Pembrokeshire include Haverfordwest, Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven, Fishguard, Tenby, Narbeth, Neyland and Newport with a large number of small villages and settlements in the more rural hinterland. Approximately half of the population of Pembrokeshire live in the major settlements. One of the major popular tourist destination in the County is St. Davids which maintains the title of the being the smallest City in the United Kingdom with a population of 1,041 recorded in 2011. In the same context, population sizes are relatively small within Pembrokeshire’s larger settlements by comparison to the main towns of many similar counties and population density is relatively low. Pembrokeshire has a wealth of historical and cultural attractions including picturesque towns and villages together with castles, forts and historically important churches. Tenby, Saundersfoot, St Davids and Newport are some of the most popular tourist destinations in the county with much of the local economy focused towards meeting tourism demands including leisure, hospitality services and holiday accommodation.
Cultural differences exist between the south and north of the county, which can be traced back to the 12th century when Norman and Flemish settlers fortified a line, known as the Landsker Line, between their settlements in the south and the Welsh settlements to the north. This defensive line created a cultural and linguistic divide as settlers adopted English as their language whilst to the north the Welsh retained both their language and national identity. This has resulted in specific differences between the north and south of the county, many of which can still be seen to the present day, particularly around the use of the Welsh language which is more commonly spoken in the north. The north of the county is much more similar from a cultural and language perspective to the rest of West Wales whilst the southwest of the county could be described as ‘anglicised’ by comparison. According to the 2011 census six of the 16 communities in Pembrokeshire have relatively high proportions of people who have Welsh language skills compared with the rest of Wales with Northeast Pembrokeshire emerging as a real strong-hold of the Welsh language. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2021, there were just under 2,200 fewer Welsh-speaking Pembrokeshire residents (over the age of three years) compared with 2011 17.2% of the population of Pembrokeshire identified as Welsh speakers within the 2021 Census, however, this represented a fall of 2 percentage points compared to the figure of 19.2 recorded in the 2011 Census. This represented the joint second-largest decline in the percentage of Welsh speakers of any local authority area in the country alongside Denbighshire and Powys and represents an important indicator in the context of the Housing Strategy in terms of the actual and potential role of the housing market in sustaining local communities.
The economy of Pembrokeshire is diverse with around 73% of the population aged 16 – 64 in employment in 2022, with a relatively high proportion (14%) self-employed, compared with 8.5% in Wales. According to ONS data, the percentage of people unemployed stood at 3.5% in December 2022. Pembrokeshire’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was worth an estimated £2.7 billion in 2020, representing 3.6% of the total GDP of the Welsh economy.
The economy is based on a mix of sectors including tourism, energy, agriculture, marine, construction and services. Unsurprisingly, in light of Pembrokeshire’s beautiful coastline and natural environment, tourism is one of the main drivers of the economy, generating approximately £618m for the local economy and representing 16,000 jobs or 16% of the employees working in the county (BRES 2021 data). It is estimated that circa 7 million people visit Pembrokeshire each year. The other main sectors of employment, on the basis of employees, include Health 16%; Retail 10%; Education 9%; Public administration & defence 6%. Agriculture is a traditional and important sector within rural communities with the production of high quality food and drink products, including dairy, beef, lamb and potatoes produced from the land and high quality seafood from local fisheries. Importantly, for the purposes of the Housing Strategy, BRES 2021 data indicates that construction accounts for 5% of employees although Census data, which takes account of self-employment, indicates nearer 10% working in the sector. The construction sector is a growing contributor to the local economy linked to the development of supporting infrastructure for the main industries, new housing development and economic regeneration projects. For the purposes of this housing strategy a critical issue lies in the ability of the sector to respond to any significant increase in new dwelling construction associated with affordable housing delivery ambitions of Pembrokeshire County Council and its Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners.
Milford Haven estuary is one of the deepest natural harbours in Britain and is the fourth largest port in the UK in 2021 (based on tonnage) at around 30 million tonnes and this natural advantage has led to it being the largest port in the UK for the import/export of energy products. Energy is therefore a key sector for the economy with two oil refineries, two liquified natural gas terminals and a number of renewable energy projects operating in the county and providing highly-skilled employment for the local workforce. Pembroke Dock Marine development has acted as a catalyst to attract interest and investment from the marine and green energy sectors. Proposals include seeking to exploit hydrogen development, off shore floating wind, fixed turbine and wave energy with proposals are being examined for further hydrogen, wind energy and solar developments inland. As highlighted in the Pembrokeshire Recovery and Regeneration Strategy 2020 - 2030 Pembrokeshire is ideally placed, geographically and topographically to maximise those energy-related opportunities, giving the County and Wales greater levels of energy production, independence and resilience.
As a result, Pembrokeshire is of strategic importance in contributing towards the UK’s energy security. With major ports at Milford Haven, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock the county also boasts a significant marine industry with ferry terminals facilitating transport and trade to and from the Republic of Ireland and a fishing fleet of some 169 registered vessels. However, partially due to the effect of Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a significant decline in passenger movements through the ferry terminals over the past 10 years with Holyhead in North Wales accounting for approximately 75% of passenger movements annually.
Across all sectors it is estimated that the Covid-19 pandemic led to a decline of 9.5% in GDP in Pembrokeshire between 2019 and 2020.
In responding to this challenge the Pembrokeshire Recovery and Regeneration Strategy 2020 – 2030 outlined a 5-year plan to recover the economy to pre-pandemic levels and develop it further. Amongst the key priorities for ongoing focus the strategy included:
- Early recognition of the importance of really fast broadband to compete with cities, backed up with investment in the capital programme;
- Housing growth targets in the LDP anticipating more home working and de-urbanisation;
- New approaches around localism and resilience, particularly in local food production as well as growth in interest in green energy and sustainable transport supporting the Swansea Bay City Deal trajectory.
- The strategy seeks to focus delivery over a ten-year period (with three year reviews).
Deprivation
The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) is the official source and measure of relative deprivation for small areas in Wales. Identifying smaller geographies data within the WIMD is broken down into Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) through which it is possible to identify and compare defined communities with the highest concentrations of several different types of deprivation including, access to services, income, health, and housing. All of the key indicators of deprivation, whilst they specifically include housing, can be linked to risks associated with increasing risks around e.g. homelessness and housing conditions.
The Housing Support Programme Needs Assessment 2022 summarised that Pembrokeshire was similar to other local authorities in the West Wales region in terms of the distribution of deprivation. Concentrations of high levels of deprivation were identified in some urban hubs including Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven with Haverfordwest slightly lower. Four areas within Pembrokeshire are among the 10% most deprived in Wales. Pembroke Dock demonstrated the highest levels of deprivation within the county with three areas within the town and surrounding area among the 10% most deprived in Wales with Haverfordwest Garth 2, in the west of Haverfordwest the fourth area in the county. Milford Haven contains three areas among the 20% most deprived areas in Wales.
Rural town and villages in general within Pembrokeshire do not appear to have high levels of deprivation with most among the 50% least deprived in Wales with areas outside of towns generally indicating low levels of deprivation according to the WIMD. However, it is widely recognised that Pembrokeshire’s rural communities will face similar challenges to rural communities in the region and in Wales whereby access to services including health and education will be more challenging as well as issues around housing deprivation.
Pembrokeshire’s Well Being Assessment rightly points out that urban poverty is more easily recognisable through specific geographic concentrations of deprivation where low-income levels, unemployment and demand for social housing and welfare are obvious. It is therefore important to recognise that Pembrokeshire faces similar challenges to the wider region that stem from its rural nature linked with worse access to services and greater housing deprivation.
‘There is a common misconception that Pembrokeshire is an affluent county, and while this might be true in certain areas, there are significant pockets of deprivation particularly in our larger towns and in some of our more rural areas’
Pembrokeshire Well Being Assessment – March 2022
Taking into account the important links between housing deprivation and other indicators it is likely there is scope for some area-based actions to be considered as part of the Housing Strategy, especially where they can be linked to regeneration activity aimed at improving on economic outcomes and increasing the supply of good quality housing.
Population and trends
According to the 2021 census, the population of Pembrokeshire was 123,400 which represents an increase of 0.8% from the figure of 122,439 recorded in 2011. When compared against the population increase of 7.2% from 2001 it is clear that Pembrokeshire’s population growth rate has slowed down significantly in the last decade. The growth rate is lower than the overall increase for Wales to 2021 (1.4%) although he reasons for the disparity in growth rates will be multi-faceted.
The overall population is projected to grow to about 128,500 by 2033 and 130,200 by 2043 (based on 2018 population estimates that will be updated in the light of the 2021 Census). This is a lower growth rate other Welsh councils and significantly lower than the UK as a whole.
Population projections by age range based upon 2018 population estimates as reported by StatsWales indicate a projected population of 129,658 by 2040.
Pembrokeshire population by age range (2018 estimates)
Year |
15 and under |
% |
16-64 |
% |
65 and over |
% |
Total |
|
2025 |
20,556 |
16.2% |
70,631 |
55.6% |
35,887 |
28.2% |
127,072 |
|
2030 |
19,393 |
15.2% |
68,944 |
53.9% |
39,656 |
31.0% |
127,992 |
|
2035 |
18,878 |
14.7% |
67,349 |
52.3% |
42,584 |
33.1% |
128,811 |
|
2040 |
18,920 |
14.6% |
66,787 |
51.5% |
43,952 |
33.9% |
129,658 |
Source: StatsWales
According to the 2021 census the percentage of the population aged 65 and over was 23% which is higher than the percentage for Wales (21%) and England and Wales as a whole (18%). Between 2011 and 2021 Pembrokeshire has seen an increase of 20% in the number of people aged 65 years and over. By comparison, over the same period the county saw a reduction in people aged under 16 with the percentage of the population aged under 16 in Pembrokeshire recorded at 16%, which is lower than the percentage for Wales at 18% and the UK as a whole (19%). In terms of the median age of the population the figure for Pembrokeshire was 45 which was both higher than Wales (42) and England and Wales (40). This was higher than the 2011 census when the reported median age was 43.
The age profile of Pembrokeshire shows that it has an older population than Wales and England and Wales as a whole, with a higher proportion of people aged 65 and over and a lower proportion of people aged under 16 and 16 to 64. The 65+ age group is the only age range projected to increase over the next 20 years.
Taken overall, the statistics indicate an ageing population trend in the county that has continued over a number of years and is continuing today. At the same time the older population is living longer with life expectancy at birth for men and women for 2017 – 2019 at 79.19 years and 83.02 years respectively, the 8th highest in Wales. This will inevitably impact on a range of local authority services including social care and housing, with an increase in demand for adapted or specialised housing and additional pressures on the council’s resources across both capital and revenue budgets.
There are a number of factors which can be seen to account for the slow rate of population growth in Pembrokeshire beyond an evidenced excess of deaths over births in the county. Data indicates lower levels of net migration into the county possibly associated with increasing levels of outward migration due to economic reasons including lack of job opportunities, housing affordability and housing availability alongside international migrants returning home linked to Covid-19 and the health of the wider UK economy. Additionally, data indicates that the age profile of the population shows significantly fewer 20-39 year olds and more people over the age of 55 than the UK as a whole. This has been attributed to significant out-migration of those aged 18-20 to seek higher education opportunities outside Pembrokeshire and contributes towards the ageing nature of Pembrokeshire’s population.
Interestingly, despite low population growth, there is evidence that the number of households, particularly single households, is predicted to grow across Wales up to 2043 which will create associated demand for new housing. Household growth between 2020- 2033 is expected to be highest amongst one person households followed by lone parents and couples with no children
Population and equalities
Based upon figures from the 2021 Census, about 2.4% of the population is from an ethnic minority. 94.7% of the population identified as White English, Welsh, Northern Irish or British, whereas 74.4% of people across England and Wales as a whole identified within this grouping. 1.8% identifying as white (other) in Pembrokeshire compared to 6.2% across England and Wales. 0.5% of the population identified as Gypsy or Irish Traveller.
The Pembrokeshire Wellbeing Assessment (PWA) highlights that ‘in common with other predominantly rural Welsh Counties, Pembrokeshire is not a particularly diverse place in terms of ethnicity or other equality communities that are at higher risk of discrimination’.
According to the National Survey for Wales 2021, the percentage of people who are from a Black, Asian and minority origin in Pembrokeshire is estimated at 1.3%. The PWA highlights that data from Pupil Level Annual School Census for 2021 shows that 3% of children aged over 5 years are from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic origin which is lower than the median average for Wales.
Compared with the rest of Wales, a comparatively high proportion of people in Pembrokeshire are from a Gypsy Traveller background and Pembrokeshire has one of the highest number of Traveller site pitches in Wales – 174 caravans in 2020 out of a total of 1,092 in Wales.
Disabilities
The 2011 census indicated very similar levels of people with disabilities in the resident population of Pembrokeshire by comparison to Wales as a whole at 22.5% and 22.7% respectively. The LHMA looked, additionally, at benefit receipt in gaining a more contemporary estimate of the numbers of people with disabilities with figures for people in receipt of Personal Independence Payment in Pembrokeshire at 5.4% compared to 6% for Wales. A similar review of Attendance Allowance indicated that in May 2020 3% of residents were in receipt of the benefit in Pembrokeshire compared to 3.2% nationally.
Household income
73.7% of all people in Pembrokeshire were in employment in 2022, 14.4% of whom were self-employed which represents a significant proportion compared with 8.3% in Wales and 9.3% in the UK as a whole. The proportion of the population aged 16 – 64 who were economically inactive was 23% which is less than the position for Wales (24.4%) of which the largest proportion (30.4%) were long-term sick followed by students (20.7%). There were fewer workless households in Pembrokeshire (15.3%) than in Wales (17%) in 2021.
Using Pembrokeshire’s Claimant Count rate as a measure of unemployment (ONS Claimant count) the percentage of people aged 16 – 64 claiming qualifying benefits as at April 2023 (not seasonally adjusted) was 3.4% which is equal to the rate for Wales as a whole.
With regards to income levels, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings the mean earned gross income for full-time employees resident in Pembrokeshire in 2022 was £34,000. This was 94.4% of the average for Wales (£36,000) and 87.7% of the average for the UK (£38,800) placing Pembrokeshire near the mid-point of the 22 Welsh local authority areas. According to the average (median) gross weekly earnings by Welsh local areas dataset by StatsWales the median gross weekly pay for full-time employees in Pembrokeshire was £609.50 in 2022. This was 102% of the average for Wales (£598.10) and 95.2% of the average for the UK as a whole (£640). Pembrokeshire had the seventh highest median gross weekly pay across Welsh local authority areas. However, when overtime is excluded, the hourly rate for pay in the county (£14.27) falls below that for Wales (£15.13). This would indicate that workers in Pembrokeshire have to work longer hours in order to equal the gross weekly pay levels in both Wales and the UK.
When the proportion of employees working part or full-time is considered there is a clearer margin of difference between Pembrokeshire and Wales and the UK with a significantly higher proportion of employed residents in Pembrokeshire relying on part-time work compared to Wales and the UK as a whole.
Jobs |
Pembrokeshire (Employee Jobs) |
Pembrokeshire % |
Wales (%) |
Great Britain (%) |
| Full-time | 25,000 | 58.1 | 65 | 68.1 |
| Part-time | 17,000 | 39.5 | 35 | 31.9 |
Total Employee Jobs: 43,000
Source: ONS Jobs Density
With 16.3% of employees (by industry) working in Accommodation and Food Service activities in Pembrokeshire, compared to 8.1% for Wales and 7.5% for Great Britain, it is clear that the tourism represents a significant sector for employment in Pembrokeshire.
The seasonal nature of tourism-related jobs aligned with the predominance of part-time employment significantly impacts on the ability of locally resident households to secure mortgage funding or pass referencing for access to the private rented sector, a factor compounded in an area of high house prices compared to income levels such as that found in Pembrokeshire. Similarly, access to benefits can be complicated by seasonal working patterns which, despite legislative changes, can disrupt income patterns for households seeking affordable housing.
However, the more recent impact of Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis has exacerbated the pressure faced by local households in relation to household finances and in particular housing costs. This can be partly illustrated by the level of housing rent arrears evident amongst tenants in council-owned stock which increased by 134% during the year to December 2022.
According to data published in June 2023 by the End Child Poverty Coalition and Loughborough University, 29% of children in Pembrokeshire were living in poverty after housing costs were taken into account, compared to the overall figure for Wales at 27.9%. The difference between the before and after housing costs rates is larger in Pembrokeshire than in Wales, indicating that housing costs have a greater impact on poverty in Pembrokeshire. The county has the second highest rate of absolute child poverty in Wales at 17.2% with rates varying across Pembrokeshire. Data produced by the Department for Work and Pensions on the number and percentage of children (aged under 16) living in relative low income families shows that for 2018/19, 28 of Pembrokeshire’s 60 Wards had a relative child poverty rate within the top 20% for Wards in Great Britain with eight of these within the top 10% in Great Britain.
Housing market profile
The Local Housing Market Assessment (July 2021 – HDH Planning and Development Ltd) highlights latest dwelling stock estimates from the Welsh Government indicating that there were 63,034 dwellings in Pembrokeshire in 2020. Between 2015 and 2020, the number of dwellings had increased by 2.4%, almost 1,500 properties. In comparison, over the same period, the dwelling stock in Wales increased by 2.2%.
Dwelling Stock Estimates - March 2020
Location |
Local authority |
RSL |
Owner-occupied* |
Private rented |
Total |
| Pembrokeshire | 5,656 | 2,620 | 46,795 | 7,962 | 63,034 |
| Pembrokeshire % | 8.97% | 4.16% | 74.24% | 12.63% | 100% |
| Wales | 87,331 | 142,571 | 1,002,709 | 204,955 | 1,437,567 |
| Wales % | 6.07% | 9.92% | 69.75% | 14.26% | 100% |
Source: StatsWales (*Includes Owner-Occupied, Intermediate and other tenures)
Comparing dwelling profiles between Pembrokeshire and Wales as a whole illustrates that the owner occupied sector is larger in Pembrokeshire with the county having a smaller stock of social housing across the combined local authority-owned and Registered Social Landlord properties as well as within the private rented sector.
The more limited availability of social housing in Pembrokeshire represents a challenge in the context of a pressured housing market where local households are unable to access affordable housing. Taken with the comparatively smaller private rented market, the lack of availability of alternatives to home ownership for local residents creates further stress in terms of access to housing and housing market affordability.
Tenure by household – 10-year comparison
The table below compares the number and percentage of households across the four key tenures and illustrates the trend between the census figures for 2011 and 2021 respectively. The figures illustrate that the main change is the reduction in the percentage of households who are buying their home with a mortgage or loan which, taken with analysis of economic data including earnings, indicates the likely impact of inward migration of older affluent households purchasing outright together with the generally older profile of the population. This pattern of owner-occupation places upward pressure on local property prices especially when households move in from more affluent areas of the UK.
Insert Table
Tenure by person – 10-year comparison
The following table compares tenure profiles for the number of usual resident people in Pembrokeshire. The difference in percentages reflects differences in average household size, with household size in properties owned outright being smaller than those owned with a mortgage. Again, the main change between 2011 and 2021 is the significant reduction in people who are buying their home with a mortgage/loan and the increase in people who own their properties outright.
Insert table
The total number of people is a lower than the total population as this table does not include people who live in communal establishments (e.g. residential care homes).
To illustrate the relationship between the ageing profile of Pembrokeshire’s population and outright ownership of dwellings the table below cross-tabulates people’s age and their tenure. The data appears to confirm the correlation between older households and outright ownership of property with over three-quarters of people aged 65+ identified as living in an owner occupied home that is owned outright. The following figures focus on usual resident population rather than households.
By comparison, the figures show that 26% of people aged 24 and under live in social housing, much higher than the overall percentage for this tenure (17%) whilst people aged 65 and over only account for 10% of people occupying social rented housing. Meanwhile, people aged 16 to 34 years account for 46% of occupation within the social rented sector.
Age and tenure
Tenure |
All ages |
Aged 24 years and under |
Aged 25 to 34 years |
Aged 35 to 49 years |
Aged 50 to 64 years |
Aged 65 years and over |
|
Owned: Owns outright |
39% |
15% |
16% |
18% |
47% |
77% |
|
Owned: Owns with a mortgage or loan or shared ownership |
29% |
38% |
37% |
44% |
29% |
7% |
|
Social rented |
17% |
26% |
20% |
17% |
13% |
10% |
|
Private rented or lives rent free |
16% |
21% |
28% |
21% |
11% |
7% |
|
All tenures |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
Looking at trends in terms of the relative growth between different tenures across Pembrokeshire, analysis of Welsh Government Dwelling Stock Estimates, 2020, indicate that between 2015 and 2020 the private rented sector experienced some growth alongside the number of owner-occupiers who owned their properties outright. By comparison, the number of owner-occupiers with a mortgage has decreased slightly with the social rented sector recording only modest growth for the same period. This would appear to support wider evidence that suggests challenges within the housing market for younger, locally resident households, seeking affordable housing options.
Analysis of the Housing in Wales (Census 2021) bulletin by Welsh Government indicates that the distribution of dwellings by bedroom number in Pembrokeshire was similar to the average for Wales although with some differences.
Compared to Wales, Pembrokeshire had a higher proportion of dwellings with four or more bedrooms and a lower proportion of dwellings with two bedrooms. This suggests that Pembrokeshire had larger dwellings than the average for Wales, which represents a challenge both in terms of comparative entry level costs in accessing private rented or owner-occupied housing and likely indicates a degree of under-occupation when considered against the likely household sizes of the ageing population. The Local Housing Market Assessment published in July 2021 further identified that Pembrokeshire contains more detached dwellings than the national average and represented the most common property type in the county, with much fewer terraced houses on average than found across Wales.
Population trends
Whilst population trends have indicated relatively low population growth (0.8%) between the 2011 and 2021 Census it is important to consider the implications for the housing market and the associated implications for the local population.
Comparing 2019 ONS Population Estimates with data from the 2011 Census the LHMA 2021 highlights that population flows from England into Pembrokeshire have notably increased in relative scale since the 2011 Census. Specifically, it highlights an increase from 47.2% of all in-migrants to Pembrokeshire in 2011 to 54.6% of in-migrants in 2019. Furthermore, the assessment highlights that population flows from elsewhere in Wales have also slightly increased in importance, whilst flows from abroad have reduced significantly.
Furthermore, in 2011 the Census revealed a high level of self-containment in the county with 70.6% of people that moved to a new home in Pembrokeshire in the year up to the 2011 Census, being previously resident in the County. By comparison, according to the ‘People with second addresses: Census 2021 bulletin’, produced by the ONC, the percentage of people that moved to a new home in Pembrokeshire in the year to the 2021 Census and were previously resident in the county was 51.8%. This compares to an all-Wales figure of 64.4% and implies a significant increase in the degree to which inward migration accounts for overall housing market activity. Pembrokeshire had the fourth lowest percentage of people who moved within the county among the 22 Welsh local authority areas in 2021.
Whilst, more recently, the impact of Covid-19 is known to have included an increase in migration to rural areas from more urban population centres, the comparative figures between the 2011 Census and the 2021 Census indicate reduced self-containment in the Pembrokeshire housing market and a significant increase in inward migration from England and elsewhere in Wales to Pembrokeshire, as a proportion of the overall housing market.
Housing affordability
According to the UK House Price Index (Wales); September 2022 the average price of a property in Wales was £223,798 representing a 12.9% increase over the previous 12 months. This represents a change from the previous year to September 2021 when house prices in Pembrokeshire grew by 14.3% compared to 15.6% for Wales and indicating increasing comparative pressure in the housing market and worsening housing affordability for local residents.
By way of indicating market volatility the figure represented a 2% increase compared to the previous month. House prices in Wales increased at a faster rate than the UK as a whole (9.5%) over the same12 months.
By comparison, in Pembrokeshire the average house price was £248,315 compared to £212,752 in September 2021, representing a 16.7% increase over the 12 month period. This represented the sixth largest percentage increase in average prices across the 22 local areas in Wales as was significantly higher than the figure for Wales as a whole (12.9%). The increase in Pembrokeshire was higher than that for both neighbouring counties of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion over the same period at 12.5% and 15.1% respectively.
UK Housing Price Index - September 2022
Local Authority |
September 2022 |
September 2021 |
Difference % |
|
Carmarthenshire |
£207,028 |
£184,098 |
12.5% |
|
Ceredigion |
£262,535 |
£228,145 |
15.1% |
|
Pembrokeshire |
£248,315 |
£212,752 |
16.7% |
|
Wales |
£223,798 |
£198,146 |
12.9% |
Land Registry data indicates that whilst the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant fall in the number of property sales across Wales the market appears to have returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020 with changes in Stamp Duty leading to a significant jump in transactions in the 12 months to July 2022 equating to 199%.
Whilst longer term trends associated with the impact of inflation and higher interest rates are yet to be fully understood, it is clear that the housing market has been remarkably buoyant in Pembrokeshire and more broadly throughout Wales in the period to September 2022. The effect of Covid-19 pandemic and the associated increased push towards home working can only have contributed to this trend.
Average price by local authority in Wales
Source: UK House Price Index Wales (September 2022) HM Land Registry
Housing affordability is measured by the ONS as a house price affordability ratio and is calculated by dividing median house prices by median gross annual workplace-based earnings. Based upon the ONS Housing Affordability in England and Wales 2022 bulletin, the affordability ratio for Pembrokeshire was 6.9 in 2022. This is the same ratio as reported in 2021 and means that for consecutive years the median house price in Pembrokeshire was 6.9 times the median annual earnings in the county. This was higher than the position for Wales (6.2) and lower than the figures for the UK as a whole (8.3). Pembrokeshire had the fourth highest affordability ratio amongst the 22 Welsh local authority areas. By comparison, in 2016 the affordability ratio for Pembrokeshire was 5.3 compared to 6.5 for Wales which indicates the affordability position has significantly worsened over the years since 2016 and confirms that house prices have increased at a faster rate than earnings in Pembrokeshire by comparison to Wales.
Whilst it is understood that property prices vary within different housing sub-market areas, Pembrokeshire’s coastal location and attractiveness as a holiday destination has the potential to create significant differentials in property prices linked to issues including second home ownership and inward migration. The location of the National Park, linked to commonly associated additional controls on development represent an example of such potential for localised housing affordability differences. The LHMA conducted an online analysis of median and lower quartile asking prices for houses in Pembrokeshire during January 2021 comparing prices within the National Park and non-National Park areas of the county. This concluded that whilst feedback from local estate agents suggested that most potential residents are not affected by the National Park boundary, there is a clear price distinction between homes inside and outside the areas, with house prices across both quartiles significantly higher within the National Park, by comparison to non-National Park areas.
Whilst localised additional pressures will therefore be evident within the County, with a house price affordability ratio of 6.9 it is clear that Pembrokeshire’s overall housing market is unaffordable for a significant proportion of the local population.
Empty properties, Second homes and Holiday-let accommodation
Linked to Pembrokeshire’s natural beauty and attractiveness as a tourist destination, the prevalence of second home ownership and holiday-let accommodation represents a significant and additional challenge to the availability and affordability of the housing market for local residents. Furthermore, the impact of Covid-19 appears to have exacerbated the historic rise in people from outside the county seeking second home ownership, with a rise in second homes of 45% in Pembrokeshire since 2018 compared to 9% for Wales as a whole.
The high concentration of second homes and holiday-lets in areas such as Pembrokeshire has led to concerns being raised at a national level over their economic, social and cultural impacts on local communities, with particular risks around impacts on Welsh speaking areas where local families struggle to retain a foothold in their community, thereby placing pressure on the sustainability of Welsh language and culture in the county. Indeed, comparing data between the 2011 and 2021 Census, Pembrokeshire saw the second highest reduction (by 2 percentage points) in the proportion of the population aged three years or older able to speak Welsh.
‘Although there are concentrations of second homes in a number of traditionally English-speaking communities – in parts of Pembrokeshire, for example – their impact on Welsh speaking communities is also striking’
Second Homes – Developing new polices in Wales report by Dr Simon Brookes 2021
The Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan is one of the Welsh Government’s key responses and considers how national interventions to protect Welsh-speaking communities and the language to thrive can be supplemented by other initiatives. Many of the suggested initiatives in the plan will be trailed in Dwyfor in North Wales and the government has been consulting on how the collective package of interventions could be complemented at a community level to support and protect the Welsh language.
At the same time, there is difficult economic balance at play in coastal communities such as Pembrokeshire where it is also the case that holiday accommodation likely contributes to the prosperity of the local economy, either through direct ownership by the local population or through providing local employment and through the spending of visitors within the local economy. In the context of the Housing Strategy, however, the considerations centre on the impact on housing affordability and availability and the inevitable implications for the local population including key workers who are critical to the delivery of local services. In terms of empty properties whilst it is understood that they can have a detrimental impact on the surrounding local community it is also the case that they represent a loss to the overall housing stock thereby contributing to challenges around housing supply and affordability.
In its summary of findings from an evidence review on second homes published in July 2021, Welsh Government reported that, excluding commercial holiday lets, there were 24,873 chargeable second homes in Wales in 2021-22. When viewed as a proportion of all second homes in Wales, Pembrokeshire was the second highest ranked local authority at 16% with only Gwynedd ranked higher at 20%. Overall for Wales, 2,005 additional second homes were reported to have been registered since the first recording in 2017-18, representing an increase of 9%. Importantly, the research indicates that the largest increases appear to have been in Pembrokeshire (1,267/ 45% additional second homes)
In 2022/23 Council Tax records identified 60,602 chargeable dwellings and 1,729 exempt dwellings in Pembrokeshire. Out of this total of 62,331 dwellings, 6.8% (4,216) were classified as chargeable second homes, which is significantly higher than the national figure (1.8%). The challenge of long term empty properties is inextricably linked to that of second homes in Pembrokeshire in that they properties are currently unavailable for use as primary homes in meeting local housing needs. Additional challenges can exist in relation to the impact of empty properties where lack of maintenance or dilapidation impacts negatively on the surrounding neighbourhood, most likely in areas of high housing density. However, unlike counties where the housing market is recognised as affordable with low house prices and often large scale empty property levels, the issue in Pembrokeshire, is around the scarcity of affordable housing overall and the lost opportunity represented by long term empty properties. As a result, the issue has tended to be identified alongside impacts associated with e.g. second homes ownership and the policy responses have developed hand in hand. These have centred on the application of Council Tax premiums on empty properties and the utilisation of relevant receipts to develop direct action on addressing empty properties.
Collecting consistent data on the level of empty properties is complex and national comparisons challenging. Census data which collects occupation on a particular date can indicate surprising levels of empty properties as the data will inevitably include, for instance, second homes and casual holiday lets. By way of illustration and taken with the impact of Covid-19, the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicated that 8,915 (13.8%) of 64,400 total dwellings in Pembrokeshire were unoccupied on census day in March 2021. This is not, therefore, a reliable illustration of the scale of empty properties in the county. More reliable data exists through Council Tax records although the data is subject to different classifications under council tax rules for exemptions. However, as a snapshot, in July there were 1,003 properties record as having been empty for less than 3 years and more than 12 months. However, the figure will include properties that may have been marketed for a long period or subject to extended renovations or probate processes which would reduce the overall number. 529 properties were identified as having been empty for 3 or more years. As at January 2023, StatWales estimated that there were 1,406 empty properties chargeable for council tax purposes in Pembrokeshire. Overall, for the purposes of identifying properties for targeted action it is estimated that there are approximately 750 empty properties in Pembrokeshire, which could provide homes to people who need them and could therefore be the focus of targeted action by the council in the use of both discretionary and mandatory powers. An important aspect of Pembrokeshire’s response will be in ensuring there is good quality and contemporary data on the location and status of empty properties in the county.
The distribution of second homes is varied and acute on a community level. Importantly the data indicated that there were significant differences between different localities within Pembrokeshire with some coastal areas reflecting significantly higher densities of second homes and higher house prices. In some localities, local authority analysis of available data indicated significant distortion of the local housing market due to the demand for second homes:
‘……Despite many policy initiatives already being in place across Wales and Pembrokeshire, Welsh Revenue Authority Higher Rate Land Transaction Tax figures suggest that in excess of 70% of residential house sales in Tenby for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 years were for homes not used as the owner’s main residence. Given the shortage of private rented accommodation, it is likely that the majority of these are holiday lets or second homes’.
Briefing to Cabinet on potential impact of legislative change for second homes and holiday lets – August 2022
Pembrokeshire’s attractiveness as a tourist destination inevitably leads to a relatively significant proportion of the housing stock being used as holiday let accommodation, which, aligned with (and often directly linked to) the high proportion of second homes ownership, increases the pressure on the affordability of the local housing market. Since the emergence of the AirBnB market in the UK, Pembrokeshire has seen a steady increase in the number of properties being used for short-term holiday lets through short-term letting websites.
The revised Pembrokeshire LHMA 2023 (draft) highlights the importance of considering second homes and their impact on the housing market. The LHMA report also recognises that Planning Policy Wales goes further and has been amended so that Planning Authorities can act to mitigate the impact of second homes and holiday lets. It states at paragraph 2.20 of the LHMA (and paragraph 4.25 of the planning policy document) that initially evidence should be collected to substantiate the scale of the problem. It states ‘Localised issues, such as the prevalence of second homes and short-term lets, must also be considered when developing the requirement for market and affordable homes within a particular area and whether the evidence justifies a local policy approach to support the viability of communities. This could, for example, include introducing a cap or ceiling on the number of second homes or short-term lets.’
It goes onto state, in paragraph 2.21 of the LHMA, how Planning Authorities can act: ‘Where robust local evidence has identified impacts on the community arising from the prevalence of second homes and short-term lets, planning authorities may consider coordinated local planning approaches. This may include specifically identifying sites in development plans for new homes which are limited in use to sole or main residences or local market housing (see paragraph 4.2.9) and/or the introduction of area specific Article 4 Directions which may require a planning application for a change of use of a sole or main residence to a second home or short-term let.’
The report Second homes: Developing new policies in Wales[1] published in early 2021, looked in detail at the number of second homes and also the number of homes used or registered as businesses (holiday units, houses which are let out, Airbnb etc), to fully identify the stock that is unable for residential use in the different counties of Wales. This recorded that in Pembrokeshire, in mid-2020, some 9.2% of the housing stock was unavailable for use, the second highest figure recorded across the whole of Wales.
The figure below (from the draft LHMA 2023) highlights the extent of the issue in Pembrokeshire and variations across the county:
Insert table
Whilst the most commonly referenced impact of high levels of second-home ownership and holiday-lets is on the affordability of house prices, it is important to highlight that the impacts extend beyond home ownership to include the private rented sector and ultimately onto the availability of affordable housing options within the social rented sector.
Despite significant growth between 2001 and 2011, the private rented sector in Pembrokeshire has experienced significant contraction which, alongside the impacts of increasing regulation, has been the result of landlords moving away from residential letting towards short-term holiday lettings including through the AirBnB route. The LHMA 2021 identified a reduction in the size of the private rented sector in the National Park areas of the county, highlighting that the proportion of dwellings available for permanent residence was lower, particularly in coastal areas and areas of the National Park, than in urban areas of the county.
‘The size of the private rented sector in the National Park of the county has notably reduced in the last decade in response to the growth in popularity of peer-to-peer accommodation websites such as Airbnb’.
Pembrokeshire Local Housing Market Assessment 2021
Analysis of the total available listings on common holiday let booking sites for short-term holiday accommodation in Pembrokeshire identified circa 3,827 properties were available in April 2022 and whilst seasonal variations exist, there is no evidence to suggest whether any properties become available for residential letting out of season. This evidenced growth in the availability of holiday-let accommodation in Pembrokeshire is at the cost of property that might otherwise be available for private renting or open market sale.
Private rented sector in Pembrokeshire
The apparent shift, by property landlords, towards the lucrative and less-regulated short-term holiday lettings market inevitably impacts upon the availability of private rented property within the Pembrokeshire local housing market as it is likely that a proportion of the private rented stock has been directed towards this appealing alternative. Inevitably, the limited supply of private rental properties has an impact on rental values and the associated affordability of the rented sector for local residents and households who would normally have relied upon this sector as an alternative to home ownership, either by choice or necessity.
The revised draft LHMA for 2023 indicates an overall median figure of monthly private rent of £625 across Pembrokeshire with St Davids, Saundersfoot is the Housing Market Area with the highest median rent, whilst Neyland has the lowest median rent. The Pembrokeshire Wellbeing Assessment (May 2022) highlights the fact that the private rented sector has, more recently, seen rising rents above and beyond wage inflation in Pembrokeshire resulting in increased pressure on the demand for social rented housing and increasing levels of homelessness.
The evidence for this can be seen by reference to a comparison between the level of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and entry-level rents in the private sector. LHA is part of the method by which Housing Benefit is calculated as well as the housing element of Universal Credit for claimants outside the social rented sector and it is limited according to property size and location. In Pembrokeshire there are two Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMA) and a LHA cap determines the maximum level payable within each BMRA according to the number of bedrooms in the property. Claimants are therefore liable for any rent charged over and above the applicable cap. Desktop analysis of the relative levels of private rent levels compared to LHA rates was undertaken over 8 weeks as part of the evidence base for the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2022-2027. Undertaken within the BRMA accounting for the majority of properties in Pembrokeshire the exercise reviewed the advertised rent of 102 properties available on Zoopla.com.
Private rent in Pembrokeshire compared to LHA rates
Size |
Average rent in private rented sector (pcm) |
Average rent in private rented sector (p/w) |
Average difference to LHA rate in BRMA (pcm) |
Average difference to LHA rate in BRMA (p/w) |
| 1 bedroom | £465.48 | £107.42 | -£116.68 | -£29.17 |
| 2 bedroom | £622.81 | £143.66 | -£178.80 | -£44.70 |
| 3 bedroom | £829.81 | £191.49 | -£282.68 | -£70.67 |
| 4+ bedroom | £1,153.75 | £266.00 | -£488.64 | -£122.16 |
| Overall average | £664.60 | £153.34 | -£204.56 | -£51.14 |
The analysis found that none of the advertised properties were at or below LHA rates with average differences between LHA rate in the BRMA and the average rent in the private rented sector ranging from minus (-) £116.68 per calendar month for 1 bedroomed property to minus (-) £488.64 for properties of 4 or more bedrooms. The analysis highlights the disparity between private rent levels and the LHA rates and illustrates the challenge to the affordability of the private rental market in Pembrokeshire for households on lower incomes who are unable to complete in the market. As highlighted by the Wellbeing Assessment ‘the private rental market is characterised by a shortage of rental properties that go off-market very quickly, and at prices often above the average affordable rent for most people’.
Unsurprisingly, in light of historic and ongoing regulatory controls on rents for both Registered Social Landlords and Local Authorities with housing stock, the draft Local Housing Market Assessment 2023 found that rental costs for the social rented sector are significantly below those within the private rented sector as well as in comparison to other social rents across Wales. It is of note that council-owned rent levels in Pembrokeshire are the lowest amongst the 11 stock holding authorities in Wales, with RSL rents in the county (averaged across all housing accommodation types) also the lowest across all 22 local authority areas.
General needs stock
Location |
Total Local Authority |
Total Registered Social Landlords |
| Wales | 100.86 | 101.08 |
| Anglesey | 98.77 | 100.23 |
| Denbighshire | 101.27 | 103.74 |
| Flintshire | 104.91 | 105.53 |
| Wrexham | 99.50 | 106.20 |
|
Powys |
100.71 | 100.48 |
| Pembrokeshire | 91.79 | 99.23 |
| Carmarthenshire | 95.16 | 97.23 |
| Swansea | 99.2 | 98.91 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 107.16 | 109.47 |
| Cardiff | 111.96 | 100.84 |
| Caerphilly | 94.80 | 101.00 |
Sheltered stock
Location |
Total Local Authority |
Total Registered Social Landlords |
| Wales | 88.32 | 90.20 |
| Anglesey | 89.04 | 88.72 |
| Denbighshire | 88.67 | 84.21 |
| Flintshire | 91.02 | 95.14 |
| Wrexham | 83.93 | 93.28 |
|
Powys |
89.45 | 88.33 |
| Pembrokeshire | 81.97 | 83.74 |
| Carmarthenshire | 77.99 | 90.77 |
| Swansea | 93.10 | 93.79 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 96.08 | 94.41 |
| Cardiff | 87.58 | 101.68 |
| Caerphilly | 83.65 | 96.10 |
Other supported stock
Location |
Total Local Authority |
Total Registered Social Landlords |
| Wales | 94.29 | 108.26 |
| Anglesey | - | 98.35 |
| Denbighshire | - | 108.88 |
| Flintshire | - | 115.10 |
| Wrexham | 76.13 | 112.35 |
|
Powys |
- | 102.03 |
| Pembrokeshire | 90.12 | 77.95 |
| Carmarthenshire | 68.13 | 108.85 |
| Swansea | - | 92.19 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 96.37 | 108.89 |
| Cardiff | 105.22 | 128.37 |
| Caerphilly | - | 100.24 |
Extra care stock
Location |
Total Local Authority |
Total Registered Social Landlords |
| Wales | - | 147.42 |
| Anglesey | - | 135.17 |
| Denbighshire | - | 146.52 |
| Flintshire | - | 158.18 |
| Wrexham | - | 150.73 |
|
Powys |
- | 119.18 |
| Pembrokeshire | - | 156.07 |
| Carmarthenshire | - | 121.79 |
| Swansea | - | 109.85 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | - | 223.27 |
| Cardiff | - | 164.57 |
| Caerphilly | - | 143.92 |
Total stock at social rent
Location |
Total stock |
| Wales | 100.46 |
| Anglesey | 98.79 |
| Denbighshire | 100.82 |
| Flintshire | 102.92 |
| Wrexham | 100.29 |
|
Powys |
97.95 |
| Pembrokeshire | 93.50 |
| Carmarthenshire | 95.42 |
| Swansea | 98.33 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 106.91 |
| Cardiff | 111.56 |
| Caerphilly | 95.99 |
StatsWales/Housing/Social housing stock and rents
Average social rents 2022/23
Property size |
Pembrokeshire |
Wales |
|
One bedroom |
£346 |
£366 |
|
Two bedroom |
£400 |
£424 |
|
Three bedroom |
£434 |
£474 |
|
Four or more bedrooms |
£540 |
£548 |
The significant disparity between market rents and social rent levels will have the effect of increasing the number of local households seeking housing within the social rented sector, thereby increasing the pressure on local housing waiting lists (the housing register). Inevitably, where the demand for access to social housing through housing waiting list exceeds housing supply there is the risk of increasing levels of homelessness within the county, with significant pressure extending to homelessness services.
The Housing Register and Homelessness in Pembrokeshire
In Pembrokeshire, access to the social rented sector is administered through a Choice-Based Lettings system (Home Choice @ Pembrokeshire) which is operated by the council through a partnership with the main Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) operating in the area. Properties which become available to let are advertised on line and applicants on the housing register are able to express an interest by placing a bid of interest against one or more of the properties advertised. Applicants are banded according to their relative need as assessed by Choice Homes with waiting times a further determinant of priority between the same bands.
The degree to which the lack of housing affordability is impacting on demand for social housing is evidenced by the growth in the number of applicants seeking housing through Home Choice @ Pembrokeshire. Between April 2018 and April 2023 the number of applicants grew by 1,312 (34.7%) with the figures markedly higher in April 2022 (5,545) (46.8%) in advance of a housing register review which reduced numbers. In numeric terms the most significant demand for households seeking 1 bedroomed accommodation although the largest percentage increase is for larger property.
Choice Homes @ Pembrokeshire - Housing register
BedroomSize |
April 2018 |
April 2019 |
April 2020 |
April 2021 |
April 2022 |
April 2023 |
% Increase since April 2018 |
|
1 bedroom |
2,331 |
2,193 |
2,337 |
2,951 |
3,338 |
3,037 |
30% |
|
2 bedrooms |
944 |
960 |
908 |
1,194 |
1,376 |
1,262 |
33% |
|
3 bedrooms |
369 |
383 |
401 |
502 |
596 |
574 |
55% |
|
4 bedrooms |
116 |
125 |
143 |
159 |
185 |
159 |
37% |
|
5+ bedrooms |
16 |
26 |
29 |
38 |
50 |
56 |
250% |
|
Total |
3,776 |
3,687 |
3,818 |
4,844 |
5,545 |
5088 |
35% |
This significant growth in the waiting list for housing reflects a disparity between demand and available supply and whilst, inevitably, housing waiting lists reflect a degree of aspirational ‘interest’ in housing, in recent years the proportion of households in urgent ‘need’ of housing has increased. This is unsurprising within the context of the housing affordability challenges facing the local population.
More recently, however, the impact of Covid-19 alongside legislative changes around the provision of temporary accommodation and the letting of homes have placed significant additional stress on homelessness services and the housing register. Taken with the ongoing economic downturn, the dispersal of asylum seekers and housing of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, the social housing market in Pembrokeshire is facing unprecedented challenges. In Pembrokeshire, this is evidenced on several fronts, including the year-on-year increase in the proportion of households assessed as being in the higher bandings of need but also the degree to which these higher bandings account for the majority of social lettings. The table below, illustrates the increasing pressure within the housing register pre- and post-Covid19 through a comparison of successful bids for property through Choice Homes.
Successful bidders pre and post Covid 19 (Choice Homes)
Description |
February 2020 |
May 2023 |
|
Total properties advertised |
65 |
55 |
|
Average properties advertised per week |
16.25 |
13.75 |
|
Total bids received |
1,771 |
2,200 |
|
Average bids per week |
442.8 |
550 |
|
Average bids per property |
27.2 |
40 |
|
Number of properties re-advertised |
16 |
0 |
|
Most bids on a property |
101 |
198 |
The average number of bids made per property owned by PCC and our RSL partners has also grown significantly in over the past 3 years whilst at the same time the number of lettings per year has been declining. This is particularly the case with Pembrokeshire County Council’s allocations to its own stock, where allocations have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Number of PCC lettings per year across all stock
Property |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
31/12/2022 |
|
All property sizes |
471 |
476 |
275 |
333 |
196 |
An inevitable consequence of the increasing homelessness pressures has been an increase in the proportion of available properties going to households in the highest levels of need. The pie charts illustrate the degree to which the highest bandings have accounted for the successful bids on properties advertised.
The data presented here is a stark illustration of the extent to which the social rented sector is reflecting the distinct pressure in the housing market, with a greater proportion of lettings by Pembrokeshire County Council and its Registered Social partners going to households in the highest bandings of need, inevitably centred around homelessness and vulnerability. Analysis of the Choice Homes Housing Register reveals that as December 2022 nearly one third of the applicants in the system were in the highest ‘Gold’ banding with 56% of applicants in that banding comprising smaller households requiring one bedroom. In the medium to long term this trend will increasingly change the profile of tenancies across the managed stock towards smaller households, greater tenant vulnerability and increased risk of repeat homelessness. In the short term, the inability of lower banded households to access housing through the lettings process increases the likelihood of those households requiring urgent assistance as some point. This pressure manifests itself in the demand for homelessness services including the need for temporary accommodation which imposes both staffing and financial resource pressures on the council.
Housing Advice Services represent an important barometer of the pressure being felt within Pembrokeshire’s housing market as it operates on the front-line of the council’s responsibilities towards households both at risk of homelessness but also experiencing homelessness. Changes to homelessness legislation have not only increased the role of prevention in tackling homelessness but, more recently, have obligated councils to ensure homelessness is rare, brief and unrepeated. This has had the effect of increasing the demands on temporary accommodation and required the council to ensure households in housing crisis are re-housed as quickly as possible. Taking into account the previously highlighted external challenges, such as the current economic downturn, the evident pressure in the housing market in Pembrokeshire means that, increasingly, the service is addressing the very urgent needs of families whose inability to access or sustain housing in the current housing market are finding themselves in housing crisis. A stark indication of the cost of living crisis in Pembrokeshire is the level of housing rent arrears amongst PCC tenancies which totalled £2,224.810 at the end of December 2022. Whilst the impact of Covid-19 cannot be overstated the figure represents an increase from £949,982 in 2019/20 and the upward trend continues.
The table below illustrates the significantly increasing presentation of households to the Housing Advice Service with 640 open cases with Housing Advice Services compared to 222 in March 2021. Whilst numbers had been relatively constant to March 2020 the demand for advice services jumped markedly between March 2021 and September 2022 linked in part to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic with single males accounting for the most significant increase in homeless presentations linked, in no small part, to changes in the scope of duty owed under the homelessness legislation by Welsh Government.
Households open to Housing Advice Services
Description |
March 2018 |
March 2019 |
March 2020 |
March 2021 |
Sept 2022 |
June 2023 |
|
Total Households |
152 |
161 |
158 |
222 |
642 |
640 |
|
Average Cases per Officer |
19 |
20 |
26 |
22 |
71 |
58 |
The service also experienced increased numbers of households to which a final s75 duty to provide temporary accommodation is owed with the numbers having grown from 120 in 2018/19 to 287 in 2022/23.
Final s75 Duty Accepted to Households
2018/2019 |
2019/2020 |
2020/2021 |
2021/2022 |
2022/2023 |
|
120 |
166 |
185 |
305 |
287 |
One of the starkest illustrations of the pressure on homelessness services is illustrated by the number of people housed temporarily pending a discharge of the housing duty. Whilst there were 76 people temporarily housed in March 2019 the number had grown to 654 by May 2023.
People in Temporary Accommodation
Accommodation |
March 2019 |
March 2020 |
March 2021 |
March 2022 |
March 2023 |
May 2023 |
|
B+B |
5 |
3 |
35 |
79 |
115 |
140 |
|
PCC Stock |
2 |
16 |
23 |
41 |
56 |
36 |
|
Hostel |
17 |
14 |
35 |
37 |
43 |
39 |
|
Refuge |
0 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
7 |
|
Homeless at Home |
54 |
46 |
53 |
241 |
386 |
416 |
|
Other |
0 |
1 |
5 |
10 |
21 |
16 |
|
Total |
76 |
82 |
154 |
418 |
631 |
654 |
A significant proportion of people temporarily housed were ‘homeless at home’ with 416 people in these arrangements compared to 76 in March 2019. Whilst directly linked to the inability of the service to locate sufficient temporary accommodation to meet the scale of demand evident, the use of ‘homeless at home’ as a form of temporary accommodation represents significant unmet need and draws significant ongoing input from homelessness officers in sustaining those temporary arrangements. However, in light of the fact that the Council has had to operate a waiting list for access to temporary accommodation it is inevitable that homeless at home became a necessary option for a high proportion of households in need.
The figures above illustrate the degree to which homelessness pressures and the associated demand for temporary accommodation has led to a significant increase in the use of bed and breakfast and hostel accommodation. During 2021/22 expenditure on using Bed and Breakfast and Hotels as temporary accommodation for homeless households was over £1.2m and in 2022/23 this has risen to above £2m. The lack of availability of temporary accommodation to meet the scale of challenge also forced the council to use its own housing stock as temporary accommodation, thereby reducing the availability of housing for re-letting through Choice Homes. Whilst it should be recognised that the Covid-19 pandemic impacted on the number of new tenancies started in PCC stock over the period of lockdown, the total number of new tenancies started each financial year dropped from 527 in 2018/19 to a low of 284 in 2022/23 post-lockdown.
An inevitable effect of the high levels of homelessness is the significant increase in the number of people on the housing register who are in the highest bandings of need by virtue of the duty to rehouse. Accordingly, these households increasingly account for a higher proportion of the offers made through the housing register. The table below illustrates the degree to which this trend has developed by comparing the percentage of offers being made from the housing register for PCC properties between households not owed a homelessness duty, households transferring to another property and households owed a homelessness duty. The data demonstrates the significant shift in the proportion of offers going to households who are owed the full homelessness duty leading to significant impacts on the re-housing chances of households in lower bandings on the waiting list.
Percentage of offers made for PCC properties to customers on Home Choice @ Pembrokeshire
Offer Type |
2018/2019 |
2019/2020 |
2020/2021 |
2021/2022 |
31/12/2022 |
|
No duty/housing register |
62.00% |
36.34% |
48.73% |
35.44% |
14.29% |
|
Homelessness Duty |
13.38% |
33.19% |
28.73% |
40.24% |
70.41% |
|
Transfer of Tenancy |
24.63% |
30.46% |
22.55% |
24.32% |
15.31% |
The introduction of the Renting Homes legislation means the council is ceasing use of its own housing stock as temporary accommodation, however, direct allocations to homeless households in the highest bandings will continue to reduce the availability of stock for households in lower bandings of need thereby creating sustained pressure on the housing waiting list. Furthermore, it is clear that Welsh Government remains committed to the ‘no-one left out’ policy approach aligned with the Rapid Re-housing strategy which will continue to place pressure on local authorities in identifying permanent accommodation solutions as quickly as possible.
The Council’s response to the homelessness challenge has been multi-faceted and of necessity has included the allocation of considerable additional staffing and financial resources including through the direct acquisition of additional temporary accommodation. Importantly, the development of a Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan 2023-2028 has developed an action plan focussed on measures to prevent homelessness, reduce the reliance on expensive temporary accommodation as well as increasing the use of the private rented sector for the discharge of housing duties. Furthermore, a review of the Choice Homes Allocation Policy is underway which will consider a number of changes to the way in which access to housing is prioritised as well as considering local lettings policy approaches on new developments whereby residents with a local connection can have priority access to new homes in their immediate area.
The most fundamental aspect of the response, however, lies in addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Pembrokeshire through the development of new housing to meet current and future needs. The need for social housing is evident within the housing register and the worsening affordability gap means that there is an increasing proportion of local households for whom new, market housing, will not be accessible. To help address this, the council has committed significant resources towards a housing development programme new social housing as well as alternative models of affordable housing to rent or buy where the need is most evident.
Local Development Plan - Assessing the Need for New Housing
Pembrokeshire County Council has commenced a review of its Local Development Plan (LDP2) which will seek to set out revised housing targets set out within the context of updated guidance from Welsh Government on undertaking Local Housing Market Assessments. LHMA’s provide the evidence base for local planning authorities housing and planning strategies and inform the LDP strategy on the level and spatial distribution of housing as well as informing negotiations on individual applications and s.106 agreements in ensuring an appropriate mix of house types to meet local need, including in the context of local affordable housing policy.
Key policies that will affect housing delivery in Pembrokeshire include a requirement that 60% of all new housing must be delivered in Urban areas and the deposit plan will seek to set out these areas.
A revision of the Local Housing Market Assessment has been undertaken utilising standard methodology and guidance issued by Welsh Government. A draft report has been presented and provides a detailed understanding of the housing market in Pembrokeshire including the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The LHMA provides an assessment of the level of market and affordable housing need and also takes account of the needs of specific groups including older people and people with disabilities.
In summary the table below shows how the modelling combines the existing unmet need, which is only for affordable housing, with the newly arising need, which is met in both the affordable and market tenures. In Pembrokeshire, the existing unmet need is significantly larger in scale than the newly arising need (within the principal projections the existing unmet need is 1,013 per year compared to a newly arising need of 57 per year). This means that the total need figures are heavily distorted towards the affordable sector in the first five years when the existing unmet need is presumed to be met. The LHMA shows that 87.3% of the annual gross need for housing in the first five years is for affordable housing (1,070/1,225).
Whilst we have chosen the highest possible proportion of households eligible for owner occupier tenure that decide to go on and buy within the recommended range, it is possible that an even higher figure is suitable. This is because in Pembrokeshire in reality there is a very large number of retired people moving into the area with existing equity who are less at risk of not becoming owners than other households. The proportion of households eligible for owner occupier tenure that decide to go on and buy could be even higher in the County, in the region of 90% instead of 60%. This would rebalance the need within the market sector.
Similarly, the LCHO figures recorded in the model are relatively low in comparison to intermediate rent. This is because of the relatively low local incomes in Pembrokeshire compared with the likely LCHO prices. If the cost of LCHO can be reduced it would be more affordable and become suitable for more households in the future.
A further output contained within the LHMA tool (but not set out in the summary tables), is the size of affordable accommodation to meet the newly arising need. This is the size of housing the Council is required to plan for over the long-term. The LHMA tool details the additional gross annual affordable housing need over the remaining ten years. This is shown for the principal and LDF scenarios in the table below.
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Source: LHMA tool
The calculation of the current need for affordable housing in the previous LHMA was based on housing register data and this total need was annualised over a five-year period. The current need for affordable housing in the previous LHMA can be considered comparable to the existing unmet need element of the LHMA tool. One key distinction between the approach in the previous LHMA report and that used in the LHMA tool, is that in the previous LHMA report, an affordability test was applied to households on the housing register and it was determined that some of these households would be able to afford suitable accommodation in the market sector and did not require an affordable home. By contrast, the LHMA tool presumes that all households on the housing register require affordable accommodation. This is one of the reasons that the need for affordable housing in the first five years of the LHMA period is so much larger in the current LHMA tool outputs than in the results presented in the previous LHMA.
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The need for specialist accommodation (taken from LHMA 2023 draft) :
Given the dramatic growth in the older population, and the higher levels of disability and health problems amongst older people, there is likely to be an increased requirement for specialist housing options. We have assessed the future need for specialist accommodation for older people broken down by tenure and type.
To assess this need we have replicated the approach used in the 2021 LHMA which used the Housing Learning and Improvement Network’s (Housing LIN) Strategic Housing for Older People (SHOP) prevalence rate model. This determined the localised prevalence rates for different types of specialist housing in Pembrokeshire.
To establish the potential demand for these accommodation types in Pembrokeshire at the end of the plan period, these localised prevalence rates are applied to the total number of people aged 75 or over in Pembrokeshire in 2036 according to the age profile recorded within the preferred projection variant. The demand that is derived is then compared to the current stock. This process is summarised in the table below.
6.1 According to the latest data, there are 2,034 units of Sheltered Housing for older people in Pembrokeshire currently, alongside 224 Enhanced Sheltered/ Extracare units. To meet local demand rates in 2036, the model identifies a requirement for 550 additional units of Sheltered housing for older people and 141 additional Enhanced Sheltered/ Extracare units in Pembrokeshire over the plan period. Of the 550 new units of Sheltered housing for older people, some 40% should be market accommodation, with the remainder affordable. Of the 514 new Enhanced Sheltered/ Extracare housing, 40% should be market and 60% affordable. These are Class C3 dwellings.
Table 6.1: Projected requirement for specialist accommodation for older person households in Pembrokeshire over the plan period
Sheltered Housing for older people
Tenure |
Base profile (2020) |
Profile 2036 |
Additional units required |
| Market | 859 | 1,077 | 218 |
| Affordable | 1,175 | 1,507 | 332 |
| Total | 2,034 | 2,584 | 550 |
Enhanced sheltered/extracare housing
Tenure |
Base profile (2020) |
Profile 2036 |
Additional units required |
| Market | 96 | 297 | 201 |
| Affordable | 128 | 440 | 312 |
| Total | 224 | 738 | 514 |
All specialist accommodation for older person households
Tenure |
Base profile (2020) |
Profile 2036 |
Additional units required |
| Market | 955 | 1,374 | 419 |
| Affordable | 1,303 | 1,947 | 644 |
| Total | 2,258 | 3,322 | 1,064 |
As well as the need for specialist housing for older people, there will also be an additional requirement for Registered Care. According to the latest household population estimates and dwelling stock figures, there are around 1,102 spaces in nursing and residential care homes in Pembrokeshire currently, of which it is estimated that just over a third of these are in the affordable sector, with the remaining being in market tenure.
As part of the process of projecting the future population within the preferred projection variant, the population that will reside in communal establishments is calculated. The model identifies that in 2036 there will be 1,308 people aged 65 and over in Pembrokeshire that will be resident in Registered Care. This implies that there will be a requirement for 206 additional Registered Care spaces between 2020 and 2036, of which 80% should be in the affordable sector and 20% within a market tenure. The table below details these calculations.
Table 6.2 Projected requirement for Registered care for older persons in Pembrokeshire over the plan period
|
Tenure |
Base profile (2020) |
Profile 2036 |
Additional units required |
| Market | 713 | 751 | 38 |
| Affordable | 389 | 556 | 168 |
| Total | 1,102 | 1,308 | 206 |
The LHMA is important for the council in the context of developing both a forward affordable housing development programme but also in helping the council guide strategic delivery partners, including RSL partners, in the type of tenure and property size required in new housing developments across the county. For Pembrokeshire the update and revised methodology provides an important opportunity to review the assumptions contained within the current LHMA. The additional pressure evident within the housing register and the significant increase in demand for homelessness assistance that emerged in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic has continued in Pembrokeshire as the combined effects of the economic downturn and the cost of living crisis have impacted on local households. The review of the LHMA to the revised methodology will be able to reflect any changes in the profile of housing demand and provide a more contemporary assessment of the housing market to inform the LDP strategy on the level and spatial distribution of housing and to help guide the delivery of affordable housing development. Taking into account the identified pressures within the housing market in Pembrokeshire it is expected that the number of one person households, lone parent households and couples with no children are expected to increase within the revised LHMA whereas couple households with children are projected to decrease.
To inform detailed planning at a community level the LHMA quantifies the need for market and affordable housing according to identified community areas within Pembrokeshire, thereby informing the level and spatial distribution of housing at a local area level. However, the updated LHMA will reduce the number of community areas which may enable greater flexibility in the negotiation of new housing developments across local community areas. In the context of the Housing Strategy, this provides a useful tool in determining where local regeneration activity can support (or be supported by) appropriate housing development, including the delivery of affordable housing to meet local needs where policy allows. Whilst not strategic planning documents for the purposes of the Local Development Plan, the Placemaking Plans prepared in respect of 6 towns in Pembrokeshire under the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Funding Programme could help identify opportunities for affordable housing delivery to contribute towards wider regeneration of local areas.
The revised LHMA will provide an opportunity for the review of current housing targets thereby implying a need to keep affordable housing development programme targets and investment plans for the council and its RSL partners under review. However, a distinct challenge for Pembrokeshire lies in the disparity between the amount of affordable housing required and the availability of social housing grant to fund delivery together with the sufficiency of sites to support delivery at the levels required to meet estimated needs.
The council’s plans for investment in new affordable housing are set out within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan. The HRA Business Plan 2023 – 2053 highlights the strong political commitment to building council homes and sets out plans to deliver up to 300 new build housing units by 2027/28 together with plans to progress with the development of older people’s sheltered housing and supported living provision. The delivery of sheltered and supported housing is a critical aspect of overall development programmes through which the council and our RSL partners can support people to live independently for longer and help reduce the pressure on social care and health services. The plan commits to accelerating housing delivery as well as working with partners to increase the range of affordable housing projects including the development of Community Land Trusts (CLT’s) and making available smaller plots of Council land for those seeking self-build opportunities.
In the year 2022/23 the plan projects a spend in excess of £11million, inclusive of grants, on new-build housing and acquisitions. Over the course of the HRA Business Plan the council proposes £271milion worth of borrowing is undertaken to finance New-Build and Purchases schemes.
On top of this the council will be promoting access to the £50m fund established by Welsh Government – the Empty Homes Grant scheme that aims to bring empty properties back into use. As one of the participating local authorities, Pembrokeshire will be working with prospective owner-occupiers to access grants of up to £25k per property (at 70% WG grant funding) to make properties that have been empty for longer than 12 months suitable for occupation. It has already been identified that ideally the parameters of this should be extended to include private landlords, whereby nomination rights and affordable rent levels would form part of the grant conditions. An opportunity could be presented by the Empty Homes Premium income to fund such an initiative. When utilised alongside broader regeneration strategies targeting specific areas of deprivation or retail decline, investment in empty properties generally, both residential and non-residential, can support the delivery of affordable housing alongside improvements such as town centre regeneration.
Under the provisions of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 the Council is required to provide for the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers. In supporting this requirement and informing the emerging development of the Local Development Plan the Council has completed a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) which sets out the assessed need for pitches in the county. At the present time the council is awaiting sign-off from Welsh Government and confirmation of potential changes to the GTAA, however the assessment identified a need for an additional 11 pitches. Since that need was identified, 6 further pitches have been consented, leaving an unmet need of 5 pitches, to be met by the end of 2024.
Housing Conditions
The impacts of poor housing conditions are wide ranging and have consequences on health and wellbeing outcomes at all ages, including across educational attainment, life expectancy, physical and mental health and employment outcomes to name just a few. With poor housing often linked to inadequate energy efficiency and the associated issue of fuel poverty, health outcomes are particularly badly affected, with increasing respiratory problems in young children and increased morbidity and mortality, especially in older people. As a result, the issue of poor housing is of critical importance to national, regional and local health and wellbeing strategic objectives, impacting locally on the resources of the council and our partners.
The joint report from the BRE Trust, Public Health Wales and Welsh Government ‘The Full Cost of Poor Housing in Wales’ (2019) looked in detail at the links between poor housing conditions, in this case ‘hazards in the home’ and their impact on health and well-being and cost to the NHS and wider society. The report focusses on ‘Category 1’ hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which impact on health and well-being outcomes, and pose a serious or immediate risk to a person’s health and safety. The HHSRS has the advantage that it is measured through the Welsh House Condition Survey and other UK national housing surveys, enabling comparisons between UK nations.
The Welsh Housing Conditions Survey (WHCS) 2017-18 collected information about the condition and energy efficiency/performance of all types of housing in Wales including against measurements for the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS), fuel poverty and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
Through its analysis of the WHCS data the BRE report highlighted a number of key findings in illustrating the wider impacts of poor housing in Wales:-
- There were an estimated 238,000 dwellings with a Category 1 hazard in Wales, representing approximately 18% of the total housing stock.
- The most common hazards were found to relate to falls in the home and the impacts on health of living in cold housing.
- The type of housing which is poor is not evenly distributed through the housing stock of Wales.
- The older a dwelling is the more likely it is to contain a risk to health and safety. A home built before the First World War is seven times as likely to have a significant health and safety hazard than one built after 1980
- The cost to reduce the hazards in these poor homes to an acceptable level is estimated to be £2,455 per home, on average - a total cost of £584 million for the whole stock.
- If remedial works were undertaken ‘up-front’ to mitigate these Category 1 hazards, it is estimated that there would be a benefit to the NHS of some £95 million per year.
- Remedial works to mitigate Category 1 hazards would pay for themselves in reduced NHS costs within six years.
- The costs of improving cold homes are some of the most expensive, but also the most effective in reducing costs to the NHS. These costs represent first year treatment costs to the NHS alone, following an accident or illness related to housing.
- The annual cost to the NHS represents around 10% of the full economic cost to society of leaving people in unhealthy housing in Wales, which is estimated at £1bn per year. The payback to society if remedial work were undertaken ‘up-front’ was estimated to be around six months.
In its conclusions the report identified the need for organisations to work together, utilising joint resources and intelligence to address poor housing through integrated approaches to housing and health.
Taking into account the wide ranging impact of poor housing on health and wellbeing outcomes and the associated cost to Pembrokeshire’s services across education, health and social care, improving our understanding of the scale of poor housing in the county is an important element of the Council’s strategic housing approach. This is made more critical in light of the older profile of housing and the rural distribution of housing in the county being linked to comparatively poorer housing conditions.
Prior to the WHCS there was a significant gap in the Welsh Government’s knowledge about housing conditions in Wales with the last comprehensive collection of data on housing conditions in Wales considered within the Living in Wales Property Survey in 2008. In Pembrokeshire, whilst there is good data and ongoing monitoring of the condition and energy efficiency of social rented stock held by the council and its RSL partners, there is little or no contemporary data on private sector housing, which accounts for approaching 87% of the 63,034 dwellings in the county as assessed within the LHMA.
The council has a statutory duty to monitor housing standards across all tenures and to take action if significant hazards under the HHSRS are found. Whilst government funding towards addressing housing conditions has been significant reduced, the council has a range of statutory powers to intervene when conditions are determined to present a hazard, particularly within the private rented sector where tenants have limited control over property standards and conditions. The Public Protection Team is the first point of contact for matters relating to housing conditions in the private sector and for enforcement action relating to deficiencies in housing standards, often dealing with enquiries from private sector tenants who are concerned about their housing conditions. Between January 2022 and 31st December 2022 the service dealt with a total of 1,396 service requests on matters including, conditions in single family dwellings, standards and management issues in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s), licensing of HMO’s and conditions within mobile homes. The issues can therefore, be wide-ranging and the service uses the powers available to the council in addressing housing complaints, including using enforcement powers. However, the approach is broadly reactive with historic capacity constraints and a lack of intelligence on housing conditions across the county preventing a more proactive approach to improving housing standards. The development of a private sector housing strategy, informed by an improved evidence base on housing conditions in the private sector, would help the development of local policy responses and investment strategies aimed at improving standards and tackling fuel poverty for our most vulnerable residents.
Our understanding of the condition of the council’s social rented stock is much more comprehensive and our investment approaches are set out within the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan produced annually under the direction of Welsh Government. As the largest social housing provider in the county with a growing stock of over 5,700 properties, the council’s HRA Business Plan 2023-53 sets out our approach to managing, maintaining and improving our housing stock including setting out ambitious plans for the development of new homes. The housing portfolio comprises ageing housing stock with a large number of inter-war estates, non-traditional (e.g. PRC) properties and 1970’s sheltered housing schemes. This variation in housing types, together with the need to meet challenging and changing standards as well as adapt to the changing expectations and needs of our tenants, presents unique investment challenges.
The quality of our council homes it is assessed against the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) which was introduced by Welsh Government in 2002 with the aim of ensuring that social housing is of good quality and suitable for the needs of existing and future residents. The Welsh Government set a target for all social landlords to improve their housing stock to meet the WHQS as soon as possible, but in any event by 2020. We achieved the WHQS for our own housing stock in 2013 however, we are now awaiting the introduction of WHQS 2 which is expected to include new and higher standards including in relation to aspects of de-carbonisation. Currently, the average SAP rating of our housing stock is 76. Housing within the remainder of the social rented sector in Pembrokeshire, owned and managed by our partner Registered Social Landlords, meets the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
As part of the Welsh Government aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it has set an ambitious target for councils to achieve EPC Band A by 2033 (recognising that not all homes will be able to achieve this). This means the council is not only focussing on maintaining its stock to WHQS but is also developing a comprehensive investment strategy towards de-carbonisation, including through investment in an Optimised Retrofit Programme. In helping to inform the phasing of investment we are planning to undertake a phased Whole Stock Assessment from which Target Energy Pathways may be developed.
All new homes built using Social Housing Grant (SHG) and other forms of public subsidy in Wales are required to be meet additional standards in the form of the Welsh Government Development Quality Requirements (WDQR). The WDQR also sets high standards in terms of energy performance requiring new dwellings to achieve EPC A (SAP92) or greater. Whilst these standards currently only apply to new affordable housing the Independent Review of Affordable Housing Supply (April 2019) recommended Welsh Government to set a longer term goal of 2025 at the latest to have the same standards for all homes irrespective of tenure. All new affordable housing built by Pembrokeshire County Council and our RSL development partners meets the WDQR including achieving EPC A or equivalent for thermal efficiency.
Addressing the energy efficiency of the private sector housing stock will be critical to the achievement of national targets for the reduction of carbon emissions as the sector accounts for the vast majority of housing in the county. Addressing the challenge of fuel poverty is integral to this challenge bearing in mind the links between housing costs and overall poverty, especially in view of Pembrokeshire’s high housing affordability ratio.
With a significant proportion of the housing having been constructed pre-1919, the achievement of nationally set targets for de-carbonisation are made more challenging due to the likely levels of poor energy efficiency and increased costs to remedy due to methods of construction. Similarly, the rural nature of the county increases the proportion of homes reliant on high carbon, inefficient heating systems. With 32% of the housing stock in Wales constructed pre-1919 the thermal efficiency of the housing stock in Wales is amongst the lowest in the UK and Europe.
National interventions in tackling energy efficiency and fuel poverty have focused on targeted advice and financial support to eligible households on low incomes or in receipt of means tested benefits. In Pembrokeshire, the majority of delivery has been through the Eco-Flex scheme (later Eco4) established by the UK government utilizing the Energy Company Obligation funding to tackle the least energy efficient stock occupied by vulnerable or low income households. Whilst Pembrokeshire County Council utilises data to identify potential eligible households, referrals are not based upon any empirical survey data on energy efficiency across Pembrokeshire’s housing stock nor is there any data available on the impact of referrals in addressing levels of energy efficiency or fuel poverty. This absence of data reflects a wider deficiency of information on the condition and energy efficiency of private sector housing at a local level.
Gypsy and Traveller Sites
We manage four sites, where there are residential 'pitches' available for gypsies and travellers. The four sites are located at:
- Kingsmoor Common, Kilgetty;
- Castle Quarry, Monkton;
- Withybush, Haverfordwest;
- Under the Hills, Merlins Bridge, Haverfordwest.
There is also an existing site at Waterloo, Pembroke Dock, which is scheduled to close. The council has a responsibility to maintain the site facilities and develops an annual programme of maintenance alongside day-to-day reactive responsive repairs. Planned improvements to our sites, funded through capital investment and Welsh Government funding are anticipated to lead to a reduction in maintenance costs, improved tenancy wellbeing and a reduction in complaints.