A new multi-million pound development of social housing in Llanidloes is to be targeted at people who live, work and volunteer in the area.
Mid Wales Housing Association is currently building 31 properties of one to four-bedroom houses, two-bedroom bungalow and one-bedroom flats at Dolhafren as part of a two phase scheme.
It says that once the issue of housing need is addressed, the the properties will be allocated on the basis of the applicants living, working or volunteering in Llanidloes.
“The idea behind this is to reward applicants who are part of, and contributing to, the community,” said a housing association spokesperson.
“The association would encourage any local people who would like to rent one of these excellent homes to contact the association.”
Phase one of the development will cost in the region of £3 million and will be part-funded by £1,740,000 of Welsh Government Social Housing and smaller homes grants with the remainder funded by Mid-Wales Housing Association.
A design and construct contract for this development was awarded to J. Ross Developments, Ltd. from Maesbury, near Oswestry. The construction work is being managed by the Association’s project manager S.P. Projects from Mold and supervised by Mid-Wales Housing.
“The association is proud to be promoting local employment and opportunities through the procurement of this scheme.
“The construction contract requires the contractor to employ 80 per cent local labour and provide training placements for building trade apprentices.
“Significant elements of the houses, such as timber frames and many of the building materials have been supplied by local companies.”
The association said the properties are being built to a very high standard and comply with the Welsh Government’s Development Quality Requirements, Life Time Homes and Secured by Design Standards and achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 3-plus.
Shane Perkins, the Association's Chief Executive said: ”We know that the area is a lovely place to live and it has recently been announced by the Sunday Times as one of the Top 50 places in the UK countryside to live.
“But this often belies the problems some local people have in finding a home of their own, with average wages making it often impossible to secure a mortgage. It is 40 years since the Association started to provide high quality affordable housing in Mid-Wales, and I am proud we are once more providing affordable homes for the people of Llanidloes and the local area.”