Council could buy back homes in Newtown

Former council homes in Newtown sold under the "right to buy" scheme could be bought back by Powys County Council as part of a plan to provide more homes to rent.

The council admits there is a housing emergency in the area and has launched the scheme to address it, it claims.

The buy-back scheme will help Powys County Council deliver its ‘At Home in Powys – Housing Business Plan’, a five-year programme which would see the council provide more homes for social rent.

It says the scheme is an effective way to add to the council’s existing stock of homes for rent and will help ease the growing pressure on the availability of affordable homes to rent in Powys.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, said: “The council has an ambitious plan to help tackle the housing emergency in the county.

“Thanks to the Welsh Government, councils in Wales are once again able to build more homes and buy back former council houses.

“Our buy-back scheme will allow us to purchase council homes that were previously sold as part of the right-to-buy programme.

“By purchasing these former right-to-buy properties and building new council homes, not only are we doing everything we can to provide more social housing that meets the needs of our residents but we are also helping to build a stronger, fairer, greener future for Powys.”

If you own a former right-to-buy property in Powys and are looking to sell and you have obtained an independent valuation of the property, then the council would like to hear from you.

Email affordable.housing@powys.gov.uk with your property information to find out more about the buy-back scheme.