Welsh Minister Visits Wernick Housing Development

Julie James AM, Welsh Minister for Housing and Local Government, was in Bridgend this week to see first-hand how Wernick, in partnership with Valleys to Coast, are delivering social housing to the area.

Julie attended one of the two sites in Bridgend where modular homes are nearing completion. Huw Irranca-Davies, Assembly Member for Ogmore - also in attendance - later discussed the visit and the projects potential at a Welsh Assembly Business meeting.

£35m of funding for innovative housing in Wales was announced by Julie James AM in February 2019. Support from the Innovative Housing Programme is available to housing associations, councils and other organisations.

Innovation developed through the programme will help to inform how homes are built in Wales in the future. The project will also contribute to the 20,000 affordable homes target set by Welsh Government.

Modules for the eight new homes were manufactured at Wernick Buildings, Kenfig before being combined on site to form a complete house. Production took as little as three weeks and modules arrived on site with appliances, heating and electrics pre-fitted.

Once complete, brick cladding and trussed roofs will render the new homes indistinguishable from their traditionally constructed counterparts.

Julie James AM said: “Our £90m Innovative Housing Programme is a test bed for innovation in housing, and demonstrates our ambition to provide more, better quality homes for people while creating jobs and training opportunities in their communities too.”

Ben Wernick, Managing Director of Wernick Buildings added: “This project is a great demonstration of the benefits of offsite construction. Residents will be able to enjoy high quality, high-performance homes, with the added benefit of a reduced construction programme.”