News Categories: General Housing

NWH confirm absence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) within properties

Community Housing Cymru (CHC) has issued an official statement addressing the heightened concerns surrounding reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC):

“As has been highlighted in the news across the country, new risks have been identified around reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – a material that was used in the construction and modification of many buildings, predominantly between the 1950s and 1990s.”

“Until recently, national guidance on RAAC in buildings has been considered by all UK governments as being a robust approach towards managing it. However, on 31 August 2023, UK Government announced new guidance on RAAC in education settings. Since then, Welsh Government has received partial evidence from UK Government which indicates that there may need to be a change in the health and safety management approach we take on RAAC.”

In response to this, we at North Wales Housing have considered our stock within the age profile provided, have undertaken additional inspections and testing, and have now confirmed that no RAAC has been identified.

Ruth Lanham-Wright – Assistant Director Homes: “We are pleased to inform tenants of the absence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) within our properties, following a comprehensive assessment and rigorous inspections prompted by the recent advisory from Community Housing Cymru (CHC). Our diligent approach to examining our housing stock, coupled with meticulous testing, has provided conclusive evidence that our properties are unaffected by the concerns raised regarding RAAC”.

Should any resident have concerns or queries regarding their home, then please get in touch.

New affordable homes in Wrexham due to new partnership

Residents have been welcomed into their new homes this week as 12 affordable rent homes have been created by a £1.5million social housing development by North Wales Housing in Wrexham.

Working closely with Wrexham County Council, the new Clos Owen development has been built in the Whitegate area of the town on the site of a former car park. The site has been transformed by North Wales Housing and appointed contractors K & C Group, providing 12 much needed homes, a mixture of 6 x 2 bedroom houses and 6 x one bed flats.

This development marks the first for North Wales Housing in Wrexham, making sure the association lives up to their ‘North Wales Housing’ name.

Phil Danson, Places Director, North Wales Housing said: 

“This is an important milestone for North Wales Housing, representing further growth and expansion for us. By close partnership working with Wrexham Council we have improved the housing prospects of young local families and tackle the wider issue of housing shortage.”

One of the tenants who has benefited from the new development is John Spruce. John has moved into an apartment which has been adapted to his special needs.

“I moved in to one of the adapted ground floor flats very recently and I’m very happy with it. It caters for all my needs very well. It’s spacious, well equipped, and everything is at the right level, including the shower, oven, shelves, etc. I requested a property a while ago and the council recently recommended me for one of these brand new properties so I’m very pleased.”

Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Roberts, commented.

“I’m delighted that these new homes have been created thanks to a successful partnership between North Wales Housing and Wrexham Council. Developing affordable housing plays a major role in tackling the issue of housing shortage and I hope the new residents will be very pleased with these properties.”

Local Member for Whitegate, Cllr Brian Cameron, commented,

“This is a very positive development for housing in the area. I’m also very pleased that two of the one-bed ground floor flats have been built with adaptions for residents with specific needs. The council’s partnership with North Wales Housing has worked very well here and I look forward to building on this relationship.”

A further development is already in the pipeline by North Wales Housing and Wrexham Council.

New Homes spark new future for local Rhyl people

Six local residents are benefitting from newly redeveloped homes to rent thanks to a partnership between North Wales Housing and West Rhyl Community Land Trust.

The properties on John Street in West Rhyl, that previously housed approximately 12 bedsits, have been transformed to 6 high quality, energy efficient and affordable apartments.

Close to the new community green space Gerddi Heulwen, they are in the heart of the Welsh Governments strategic regeneration area and the first properties to be brought back into use following the regeneration works programme.

New tenant, Maria Dawson is delighted:

“I’m so happy as I’ll benefit so much from this beautiful apartment. I suffer with severe arthritis and I lived in a flat on the third floor before so things are definitely going to be much better and easier for me now. I also have access to a garden area too which will be lovely when I’m poorly but want some fresh air. I’m just so grateful.”

Chair Person of West Rhyl Community Land Trust, Fiona Davies, said:

“We’re really pleased to be able to handover the keys of these properties to local people. The standard of works carried out by Carroll Builders & Contractors is excellent and the new tenants are very happy with their new homes.”

Paul Diggory, Chief Executive North Wales Housing said:

“West Rhyl Community Land Trust and North Wales Housing have been working together since early 2012 bringing empty properties back into use and up to a good standard, to rent to local people at an affordable level. This is the latest property developed and we’re extremely pleased with how they have turned out. We hope new tenants will settle in and enjoy living in their new homes”.

These properties are opposite Afallon Housing Development on Abbey Street, the first development by West Rhyl Housing Cooperative, a partnership between the Land Trust and North Wales Housing, building on community aspirations.

Housing Advice Sessions in Llandudno

We will be holding monthly housing advice sessions for Llandudno-based at Ty Llewelyn Community Centre, near Llandudno hospital.

Sessions will be held between 11:00am and 12:30pm on the first Tuesday of every month, starting March 1st.They are open to all North Wales Housing residents.

The sessions are an opportunity to discuss any housing or maintenance issues that you may have, to ask for advice and guidance on any issues or to offer suggestions on services or initiatives that you would like to see in your community.

The sessions will operate on an appointment-only basis.

To arrange an appointment contact Housing Officer Garth Butcher on 07899966743.

The dates for the sessions are:

  • Tuesday 1st March
  • Tuesday 5th April
  • Tuesday 3rd May
  • Tuesday 7th June
  • Tuesday 5th July
  • Tuesday 2nd August
  • Tuesday 6th September
  • Tuesday 4th October
  • Tuesday 1st November
  • Tuesday 6th December

Halloween fun and games at housing estates!

The Bus Stop Project will be visiting a number of our estates doing FREE Halloween activities in October.

The dates and locations are:

  • Maes Myrddin, Llanrwst – Monday 26th of October 1:30pm– 3:00pm
  • Ffordd Dawel & Heol Dirion, Colwyn Bay – Wednesday 28th of October 17:00- 18:30pm
  • Parc Clarence, Llandudno – Thursday 29th of October 13:00pm- 14:30pm

Come along with your children and keep an eye out for the blue bus!

Brand new family housing for West Rhyl

 

Work has started on a ground-breaking £1.4 million housing scheme aimed at rebuilding a community in Rhyl.

The new Afallon development in Abbey Street is in the heart of the town’s West End and overlooks the Gerddi Heulwen green space which opened last year.

The driving force behind the scheme is West Rhyl Housing Co-operative, Wales’s first urban rental housing co-operative, formed by North Wales Housing and West Rhyl Community Land Trust.

Fiona Davies, Chair of the Trust, said:

This is an exciting opportunity for local families to benefit from brand new high quality, affordable housing.

The aim of the Cooperative is to re-build the close-knit community that once thrived in West Rhyl.”

Tenants become members of the housing co-operative, which entitles them to become involved in how their properties are managed and to determine and influence future plans and projects in the area.

Barry Mellor, Mayor of Rhyl, welcomed the development and said:

It’s fantastic. It’s what we’ve needed her for a long, long time and it will boost this area considerably.

 

For the Community Land Trust to do this is unbelievable and to have Anwyl, a local company, building it is superb – what we need now is for other companies to get on board to help out.”

Award-winning Rhyl-based builders Anwyl will build seven new three-bedroom family homes with private gardens and parking and are refurbishing former commercial premises which will house a community shop and a bakery on the ground floor with two one-bedroom and two two-bedroom flats above.

Paul Diggory, Chief Executive of North Wales Housing, said:

North Wales Housing are proud to be part of this important regeneration of West Rhyl.

 

Afallon is an attractive community housing project providing real family homes built to a high specification and standard of energy efficiency.

 

It aims to create a vibrant community where families and businesses wish to settle and grow.”

Denbighshire County Councillor for West Rhyl Joan Butterfield, a member of the Trust, said:

It’s a really wonderful opportunity for the people here to start building a true community from day one.

 

It’s a real social enterprise project involving the people who live here and providing them with opportunities and skills and I believe it will lift the whole of Rhyl.”

Nikki Jones, Director of WRCLT, said:

We are keen to hear from local families wishing to become part of the cooperative and apply to live in the new family houses.

 

If people who currently live or work in Rhyl or surrounding areas are interested there is still time to apply to become tenants.”

For further information and how to apply call 01745 339779 or email [email protected].

Whitegate Road development marks expansion to Wrexham

Work has officially started on a new £1.5million social housing development in Wrexham, providing 12 new affordable rent homes in the area.

The development is the first development in the region for NWH, working in partnership with Wrexham Council.

Start of work on site was marked by an event organised by North Wales Housing, welcoming partners and local Councillors Mark Pritchard and Ian Roberts to find out more about the important development.

Paul Diggory, Chief Executive of North Wales Housing said:

We’re really excited to be starting this development in Wrexham. It marks an expansion for North Wales Housing and we look forward to working with Wrexham Council. It’s through close partnership working like this that we can improve the housing prospects of young local families.”

Positioned off Whitegate Road, Wrexham, the site has previously been used as a car park. The site will be transformed by NWH and appointed contractors K & C Group, providing 12 much needed homes, 6 x 2 bedroom houses and 6 x one bed flats, in the area.

Councillor Ian Roberts, Lead Member for Housing, Wrexham Council said:

Providing affordable housing that meets people’s needs and aspirations is a priority for the Council and this development will help towards meeting that priority.”

Partnership creates new homes in Anglesey

Five tenants are benefitting from brand new homes to rent thanks to a partnership with North Wales Housing Association, Welsh Government and Anglesey County Council.

The Rhes Capel social housing project on a brownfield site in Holyhead has been jointly funded by North Wales Housing Association and Welsh Government funds awarded through the Vibrant and Viable Places Programme.

Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty said:

I am pleased the Welsh Government has been able to support this development with funding of almost £310,000. The project has not only created high-quality housing for local people, but also used local companies and supply chains – supporting the local economy.

This development is an excellent example of partnership working between the Welsh Government, Anglesey County Council, North Wales Housing Association, and the local private housebuilding sector, which is helping to deliver our vision for housing in Wales. I wish all of the tenants every happiness in their new homes.”

The terrace of five new two-bedroom three person dwellings has been built on the site of the former English Methodist Church in Longford Road, and is sited close to local schools and other amenities. The new homes have been built to meet Welsh Government housing design quality standards.

Paul Diggory, Chief Executive for North Wales Housing said:

Rhes Capel is a great project and we’ve pleased to have worked closely with Anglesey County Council and Welsh Government. The regeneration of Holyhead is coming along and this project is another great development for North Wales Housing to manage here.”

Anglesey County Council’s Social Services and Housing Portfolio holder Cllr Aled Morris Jones added:

We are pleased to have played an important role in realising this development, which contributes to our housing and regeneration objectives.”

A tasty transformation

The former y Bistro on Llanberis High Street has enjoyed a major overhaul and transformation, from its former use as a local eatery, to a number of homes for local people.

North Wales Housing purchased the building in 2012 and developed plans to transform and regenerate, creating nine two bedroom apartments.

The new flats are being welcomed in Llanberis by residents affected by the continued increase in house prices, driven by the tourist industry as well as those looking to secure a second home in and around the picturesque town.

Since closing its doors in 2008/9, the substantial corner property ‘Y Bistro’ had lain unoccupied, slowly falling into a state of neglect. Sitting on the main thoroughfare?, the building had become an eyesore, attracting vandals and detracting from nearby surroundings.

Local contactor Celtic Souza have managed the works on behalf of North Wales Housing. The scheme has been developed as part of a wider collaboration with Gwynedd Council and North Wales Housing, with further funding from the Welsh Government Social Housing Grant.

Paul Diggory, Chief Executive at North Wales Housing said:

“The completion of this project will offer so many advantages to the local community. Not only are we restoring and improving a large building that was impacting negatively upon the local area, but we are also creating a number of fantastic homes for local people.”

“Empty homes projects such as this are about looking at existing buildings that have been neglected or overlooked and giving them a new lease of life. The redevelopment of the Bistro is a brilliant example of how and why this initiative works so well.”

New tenants have been allocated for each of the two bedroom flats and will soon be making the move into their new homes.