Draft Welsh measure to allow councils to apply for suspension of Right to Buy

The Welsh Assembly Government has laid a draft housing measure – or law – that will allow local authorities to apply to Welsh ministers for approval to suspend the Right to Buy.

Suspension will help councils increase the stock of affordable housing in areas under housing pressure, it said.

The measure also provides ministers with a range of intervention and enforcement powers which they hope will strengthen the regulation of registered social landlords.

Jocelyn Davies AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration, said: “We are making progress in increasing the supply of affordable housing, but demand is still very high and we therefore need to ensure that we continue to do all we can to address this shortage.”

She added that a very broad range of intervention powers was required to “maintain the rigour and credibility” of the regulation of RSLs in Wales.

The proposed regime would also help the housing sector by ensuring that lenders’ confidence is maintained, Davies insisted.

The Deputy Minister said: “Providing social landlords with a period of grace in areas of housing pressure through temporarily suspending Right to Buy, will allow time for much needed work to take place to increase the supply of affordable housing in Wales.”

The Welsh Assembly Government was able to introduce the measure after a legislative competence order transferring power from Whitehall to Wales was given Royal Assent in July this year.