430 new council homes are to be built under new Powys development plans.

Powys county is set to see a £225m investment from the council over the next five years which will see hundreds of new homes built by 2029/30.

£43m of that funding under the ‘At Home in Powys - Housing Business Plan’ will go towards improving existing council homes to ensure they meet Welsh Housing Quality Standards, the standard local authorities and housing associations are held to.

Commenting on the plans which were approved in cabinet on 25 March, Councillor Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, said: “This ambitious plan will get the council building high-quality council homes to help us tackle the housing emergency.

“The Homes in Powys – Housing Business Plan puts in place the money needed to make our homes more energy efficient for our tenants – tackling fuel poverty and ensuring council homes are doing their bit to tackle climate change.

“The plan also pledges continued investment in our existing council homes to make sure that we continue to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

“This plan will help build a stronger, fairer, greener future for Powys.”

The programme includes £10m to increase fuel efficiency in council homes, aiming to reduce fuel poverty, cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change.

The same funding will go towards ‘encouraging and supporting a greener future’ for council housing estates.

The work will ensure council homes and their associated assets are 100 per cent compliant with legislation and regulation.

£4.1m will go towards making council homes better suited towards the needs of their older inhabitants and others with health-related needs that impair mobility.

Over £6.9m of the fund will go towards improvements in homes and estates that boost community well-being.