Homes completed: . RURAL HOUSING MODELS: CENARTH, WALES December 2019

Accessing Land

A parcel of land bordering on a private estate within the village became available and the housing association took the opportunity to purchase it for the development.

Community Engagement Housing to support Welsh-speaking areas

As well as facilitating The historic village of Cenarth in the south west of Wales has a population of around 1,000 partnership working on the people and is a Welsh language stronghold. Ensuring local people had the opportunity to project, the Rural Housing continue to live in the area – and purchase property with the support of Welsh Government Enabler also worked with the funded schemes - was the catalyst for the development of a mixed tenure estate of social local community councils to letting and rent-to-own properties by Tai Ceredigion Housing Association and Beulah develop a local lettings Community Council. policy and to encourage participation with the Welsh Housing Need Government’s rent-to-own Data from Ceredigion County Council worked with the local community, the two scheme. Housing Options (Register), along with a community councils in the area, the local housing needs analysis for the local Beulah authority and local councillors from the Open events were held in council ward and open events with the outset, identifying the need for the new the leisure complex within local community, all pointed towards a housing, holding open events and the village to ensure that need for housing in the area. The need for publicising the opportunity for local locals would be able to see local people to remain in this Welsh housing in a Welsh language speaking and view the plans for the language stronghold was identified as key. area. development and all The potential mixed tenure opportunities Partnership Working interested parties were were also identified through collaboration between stakeholders and individuals asked to register on the The role of a Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) was crucial to this development. The RHE within the community. Ceredigion Housing based at Tai Ceredigion Housing Assoc Options website. Social

media and local press were used to publicise the project Tai Ceredigion Housing Association merged with Mid Wales Housing Association in 2020 to form Barcud: throughout its development. www.barcud.cymru

RURAL HOUSING MODELS: CENARTH, WALES (pg 2)

Designing the Homes The Homes The rent-to-own and the social rented A mix of two, three and four bedroom Funding homes were all built to the same high properties, as well as an adapted standard, following criteria set out in the bungalow, were developed as part of the The development was Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS). affordable rental element of the project. financed through a mix of This was developed by the Welsh Two three-brent-to-own homes were also grant funding and commercial Government to provide a common target built. lending through RSL Finance. standard for the condition of all housing in Keeping the Homes Affordable Wales. Accessing Expertise The homes are rented to tenants by the The WHQS states that all households Barcud Cyf. Housing Association in line As a housing association Tai should have the opportunity to live in with housing association policies and Ceredigion had its own good quality homes that are in a good Welsh Government legislation designed to experienced development state of repair, safe and secure, adequately ensure that they are affordable. team used to working on heated, fuel efficient and well insulated, contain up-to-date kitchens and The Welsh Government rent bench projects of this type and was bathrooms, are well-managed, located in marking system aims to make sure those able to draw on its existing attractive and safe environments, and, as tenants in an area pay a similar rent for property management, similar types of homes and that rent far as possible, suit the specific maintenance, marketing and requirements of the household. increases are fair. finance functions to access Barcud is a not-for-profit organisation In addition, the homes were also built to most of the expertise meaning that proceeds are fed back into meet other design quality guidelines and required. The Rural Housing environmental regulations such as the the communities and developments in Enabler’s expertise and local Lifetime Homes standard, accessible which it operates. connections were also housing requirements, and the official Two of the properties will be sold through police security initiative Secured by the Welsh Government’s rent-to-own invaluable to the development Design. scheme. of the project.

All these requirements were sent to the project architects who incorporated them Building the Homes in to the designs. Due to limited availability within the area, a construction Delivering Rural Housing in Wales company from the next county Rural Housng Enablers work with rural communities to identify local need for affordable homes that specialises in larger and then work with the local community to find a suitable opportunity to develop. They also work projects was awarded the extensively with local councillors and their efforts mean that the voices of local people are heard when it comes to housing and the opportunity to stay in their local area. contract. TRJ from Llanelli is an industry leader in building Housing schemes can be provided through a variety of ways - through housing associations, land trusts and co-operative ventures or by self-build or private developers - and using different ways in house pods with low carbon of planning such as Rural Exception Sites and One Planet developments. attributes and used local sub- Development in rural areas is strictly controlled by planning policy, which can be different in contractors where possible. each local authority area. There can be exceptions to the planning rules, as it is recognised there This included a local company is a need to keep local people in their communities. based less than five miles from site to fit the air source heat This case study was produced for the 2021 Rural Housing Summit from Rural Housing Scotland with support from UN-Habitat and sponsored by Ecology Building Society. pumps.