Leading housebuilder puts strategic focus on South Wales to boost housing supply

Leading housebuilder Kier Living is expanding its reach into South Wales with the opening of a new region that is set to boost local housing supply and provide job and apprenticeship opportunities. The new West and Wales region will focus on areas identified as having the greatest need and provide affordable housing solutions.

The Welsh Government has highlighted it is a ‘fundamental priority’ to build 20,000 new affordable homes by 2021. Kier Living’s new region has a strategic focus on joint venture agreements with local authorities, housing associations and private landowners to help meet the needs of the area.

It has already pinpointed key areas of need and, through the work of Land and Business Development Manager Natalie Bell, has already secured over 1,500 development plots, spanning Cardiff, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Monmouthshire, with further opportunities in the pipeline.

Early developments include a 260-home project in Lisvane, Cardiff, a 70-home project in Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan, and a 150-home joint venture agreement with Bron Afon.

The new West and Wales region has offices in Cardiff and is headed up by Regional Director David Bullock, who will oversee the development of key relationships and growth in the area.  A three-time winner of the National Housebuilding Council’s Pride in Job Award, David has lived and worked in the area for most of his career, and has established relationships with local supply chains.

David said:

“We know that there is a real need for high quality, affordable housing in South Wales. The focus is on creating diverse communities that local people are proud to call home. This means not just delivering high quality housing but also providing local job and apprenticeship opportunities. We expect at least 80% of our supply chain to be locally sourced and apprenticeship opportunities will be available on every site.”

John Anderson, Executive Director for Kier Living adds:

“This new region allows us to address an area of the country greatly in need of more housing. We have a clear focus on providing more affordable housing, working collaboratively with both public and private sector partners to deliver on our ambition of building 3,500 new homes a year across the country by 2021.”

The housing group routinely partners with local authorities and housing associations to build joint venture developments in the areas with the greatest need.