Monmouthshire County Council has agreed to a sale of 0.12 hectares at Mynyddbach near Shirenewton to allow a housing association to construct two affordable dwellings.
The sale to Monmouthshire Housing Association – at less than market value – will be good news for local people on the county council’s housing register who wish to live in the area.
The council had previously given the go ahead to a sale of the land for affordable housing but disposal was postponed after Shirenewton Community Council applied to register the site as a village green. This application was subsequently unsuccessful.
The site will be used as a pilot project for the use of Welsh timber in construction. The project will be supported by the Sustainable Futures Commissioner for Wales.
Monmouthshire’s cabinet member for housing, County Councillor Giles Howard said: “High property values in Monmouthshire means access to affordable housing can be a real problem for many. Innovative projects like this help people to live in or return to the communities where they grew up, and stay close to the support of family and friends. Anything we can do to help in this regard is welcome”.
The council applied powers provided under the General Disposal Consent Order (Wales) 2003 to sell the site at less than market value.
