The term ‘housing crisis’ is a phenomenon all too often associated with a distant picture-postcard seaside village, or a cosy hamlet nestled in a national park – however, the reality is much more stark, and increasingly a challenge on doorsteps across Powys, writes Cefin Campbell MS.

Recent data obtained by BBC Wales makes for very troubling reading. Between 2018 and 2022 there has been a 101.5% increase in the number of families on the social housing waiting list in Powys, with 4,300 households in the county currently waiting for a property.

Wales-wide, more than 90,000 households – approximately 200,000 people – are now waiting to be housed, up from 65,000 in 2018.

These numbers reflect wider worrying housing trends in Powys.

According to Powys County Council data, over 3,000 properties in the county – roughly 1 in 20 – are unoccupied for at least part of the year.

And this is before we take into account the number of properties in Powys that are being used for short-term holiday letting. The Bevan Foundation has found that 1,978 properties in Powys are listed on AirBnB, making Powys the Welsh local authority with the third highest number of properties listed on their site.

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This all amounts to nothing short of a crisis in housing, with knock-on consequences for the health and well-being of thousands of people in our community. We know that the proliferation of second homes and short term letting has negative consequences for the Welsh language and culture, and hollows out communities, making it unaffordable for young people to rent or buy in their home towns and villages.

Under the Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government, Plaid Cymru has been working hard to address the issue of second and unaffordable homes. We have introduced a range of measures, including giving councils the discretionary power to increase council tax premiums on second and empty homes. Three new planning use classes – primary home, second home and short-term holiday accommodation – have been introduced, with local authorities also given powers to limit the number of second homes and holiday lets.

The housing crisis is one which we must face up to urgently, and Plaid Cymru will continue to deliver solutions to it, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to afford to live in their local community.