A cool £850k

why couldn’t a young person’s housing scheme have been part of the Llandaff development? Asks Tamsin Stirling

Recently, I read with interest the recent Wales Online piece about the homes being built on the former BBC site in Llandaff ‘First phase of homes being built on the old BBC studios in Llandaff are for sale and some are going for a cool £850k’ shouted the headline. Cool indeed. Wonder who will be buying these homes ….

There will be affordable housing included in the development – 8% of the homes will be low cost home ownership where buyers purchase a proportion of the home and 12% will be what is called intermediate rent – let at rents lower than market rents but higher than social rents. But no social housing is included.

A couple of days later, I walked past a graffiti-covered hoarding on the border of Splott and Adamsdown. The hoarding is around the site where Jeff Plevey died during the demolition of the former Citadel Church.

On the site is going to be built a housing scheme for young people which will include 24-hour support. The level of support to be provided suggests that the young people will be facing significant challenges. The site of the scheme is in an area of the city that also faces significant challenges, not least county lines activity. An area of the city that already has a lot of temporary and supported housing. The site itself is squashed between the road and the railway line at the end of a terrace in an area of high density housing.

I then asked myself the question – why couldn’t the young person’s scheme be part of the Llandaff development? In a more affluent, less densely populated area of the city with more access to green space, to different opportunities? Why shouldn’t young people who have not had a good start in life and who need supported housing be able to live in richer parts of the city? I know the answer. I have worked in the housing field for many years and am a long-time resident of Splott so have seen time and time again how these things pan out. But wouldn’t it be great if we could collectively challenge our way of doing things and not routinely put supported housing for young people in those communities whose concerns are easiest to ignore.

Tamsin Stirling

February 2023