MANY of the 800 empty properties in Ceredigion are set to be purchased by the county council to ease social housing woes.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Elizabeth Evans told the Cambrian News existing stock cannot currently meet the rapidly increasing need – with waiting lists ‘extremely long’.

But Ceredigion County Council cabinet on Tuesday, 6 December discussed an ‘exceptional opportunity’ to use £2 million of one-off funding from the Welsh Government to purchase long-term empty properties and turn them into social homes.

The meeting heard that the need for one-bedroom properties has soared since the pandemic with 78 households currently in temporary accommodation, with 40 of those single individuals.

There had been more than 1,405 applications for social housing received by the council by March 2022 - up 12 per cent on the year before. But figures from the Affordable Housing Prospectus report published in April suggest there are 1,700 people who are on the register for social housing in the county. But this is likely to have risen with the onset of the cost-of-living crisis.

A council officer also indicated there will also soon be a further funding stream available to tackle long-term empty properties – of which there are now 833 in Ceredigion, including 119 in Aberystwyth.

Leader of the Independents’ Group, Cllr Gareth Lloyd, said: “A good news story, as they say. Especially as the grant will cover buying and renovating as well. Although £2m seems like a lot of money, in the current climate with the housing crisis it won’t do as much as years gone by so every penny needs to be used in the best way possible.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Hinge said: “We need these properties. We need homes for people. We need to have increased powers.”

Leader of the council Bryan Davies said: “This paper coming before us today shows we are going in the right direction.”

Cllr Evans told the Cambrian News after the meeting: “The number of empty flats and houses in Ceredigion has increased, and although they are subject to the 25 per cent levy, having so many unoccupied properties doesn’t help our housing situation.

“The questions that councillors are asked probably more than any others, are ‘do you know of any properties for rent?’ Or ‘where am I on the housing register because I/we are desperate?’

“It can be soul destroying because half a dozen residents may have asked the same question that same day, and it gives you a real feeling of helplessness as a councillor because you naturally want to help.”

The prospectus report states: “Demand for properties in Ceredigion has also increased noticeably during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this is reflected in the property prices in the county reaching their highest level on record.

"Average earnings in Ceredigion are below the national average, and when combined with high house prices, present a significant challenge to local people entering ... the housing market.”