About the Project
Keeping the Faith in Housing: Working with Churches to Develop More Housing in Wales
The Faith in Affordable Housing (FiAH) project was launched in Wales in 2013. We work with churches of all denominations to release surplus land or redundant buildings for the development of new social and genuinely affordable homes.
Background
Every year an increasing number of the 4,500 church buildings in Wales are closing due to declining and ageing congregations. Similarly, many churches are seeking to reconfigure their existing facilities to provide sustainable places of worship but also flexible, multi-purpose buildings for wider community activity. Many of these buildings and associated land can be part of the solution to housing need, whilst sustaining worship and protecting our heritage.
This has resulted in a number of new genuinely affordable homes for rent on former church land in Wales. We support churches along the journey by facilitating meetings with Housing Associations and acting as the honest broker in discussions. Our support for churches is provided free of charge and the project helps churches to unlock finance through the sale or lease of surplus land.
Here’s an article we’ve written for Welsh Housing Quarterly.
Progress To Date
Supporting The Development of Affordable Homes in Wales
To date we have facilitated the delivery of 100 genuinely affordable homes in Wales, with more under construction currently.
Examples of our Work
St Matthew’s Church, Newport
This project was completed in 2019, creating 14 new affordable homes at Yr Hen Eglwys. The Most Revd John Davies, Archbishop of Wales and Chair of HJ Cymru made a visit to see the work and meet the residents.
“There can come a time, a sad time, when a place of worship that has been much loved over the years, comes to the end of its viable life. It becomes a liability rather than being an asset. The least attractive option for that building is that it closes and becomes a ruin – a poor advertisement for any community.
There are, however, occasions when a building (or the land upon which it sits) can be re-ordered and adapted for community or residential use. For St Matthew’s, that was the way forward, and I’m delighted to be able to commend those who took difficult decisions for their courage and vision to engage in such a fruitful project.” – Archbishop of Wales, The Most Reverend John Davies
NORTHOP UNITED REFORMED CHURCH NORTHOP, MOLD, FLINTSHIRE
Faith in Affordable Housing (FiAH), partnering with Wales and West Housing (WWH), were part of the creation of six Passivhaus-standard homes at Llys Capel in Northop, Flintshire, in North Wales where the Northop United Reformed Church (URC) previously stood.
After 85 years as a worship space, the 1932 building reached the end of its working life. The URC National Synod of Wales decided to sell, emphasizing their commitment to affordable housing. In acknowledgement that the relief of the poor, needy, or homeless is a duty consistent with Christianity, they worked with the Faith in Affordable Housing Project (Housing Justice Cymru) to identify a suitable Housing Association partner. In 2018, Wales and West Housing (WWH) acquired the building, receiving planning permission for four houses and two flats in June 2019.
WWH aimed to create innovative and truly affordable homes, adhering to Passivhaus standards for energy efficiency. Beech Developments, chosen through a tender process, implemented the project with funding from Welsh Social Housing Grant and the Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing Programme.
See more about this case study here:
Moving Forward
Building on the success of the project to date, Housing Justice consulted with Housing Expert Mike Owen of Perran Consulting to undertake a scoping exercise that would help shape the future of the project; our Strategic Partnership will include a framework of Registered Social Landlords that share the values of Housing Justice in the delivery of more truly affordable and decent homes.
The reports can be found here (in English) and here (yn gymraeg).
Further Information
For more information, please get in touch with Rebecca Kentfield
Rebecca Kentfield
Project Lead
Cymraeg
Cadw'r Ffydd mewn Tai: Gweithio gydag Eglwysi i Gynyddu Tai ar draws Cymru
Am y Prosiect
Lansiwyd y prosiect Ffydd mewn Tai Fforddiadwy (FiAH) yng Nghymru yn 2013. Rydym yn gweithio gydag eglwysi o bob enwad i ryddhau tir. neu adeiladau diangen ar gyfer datblygu cartrefi cymdeithasol a gwirioneddol fforddiadwy newydd.
Cefndir
Bob blwyddyn mae nifer cynyddol o’r 4,500 o adeiladau eglwysig yng Nghymru yn cau oherwydd bod cynulleidfaoedd yn dirywio ac yn heneiddio. Yn yr un modd, mae llawer o eglwysi yn ceisio ad-drefnu eu cyfleusterau presennol i ddarparu addoldai cynaliadwy ond hefyd adeiladau hyblyg, amlbwrpas ar gyfer gweithgaredd cymunedol ehangach. Gall llawer o’r adeiladau hyn a’r tir cysylltiedig fod yn rhan o’r ateb i angen tai, wrth gynnal addoliad a gwarchod ein treftadaeth.
Mae hyn wedi arwain at nifer o gartrefi gwirioneddol fforddiadwy newydd i’w rhentu ar hen dir eglwysig yng Nghymru. Rydym yn cefnogi eglwysi ar hyd y daith trwy hwyluso cyfarfodydd gyda Chymdeithasau Tai a gweithredu fel y brocer gonest mewn trafodaethau. Darperir ein cefnogaeth i eglwysi yn rhad ac am ddim ac mae’r prosiect yn helpu eglwysi i ddatgloi cyllid trwy werthu neu brydlesu tir dros ben.
Am ragor o wybodaeth, lawrlwythwch ein Trosolwg Prosiect llawn yma.
Cynnydd ac Rhagolwg
Hyd yma rydym wedi hwyluso cyflwyno 75 o gartrefi gwirioneddol fforddiadwy, gyda mwy o waith adeiladu ar hyn o bryd.
Enghraifft
Eglwys St Matthew’s, Casnewydd
Cwblhawyd y prosiect hwn yn 2019, gan greu 14 cartref fforddiadwy newydd yn Yr Hen Eglwys. Ymwelodd y Parchedicaf John Davies, Archesgob Cymru a Chadeirydd HJ Cymru i weld y gwaith a chwrdd â’r preswylwyr.
“Fe all ddod amser, amser trist, pan ddaw addoldy sydd wedi bod yn annwyl iawn dros y blynyddoedd, i ddiwedd ei oes hyfyw. Mae’n dod yn atebolrwydd yn hytrach na bod yn ased. Yr opsiwn lleiaf deniadol ar gyfer hynny adeilad yw ei fod yn cau ac yn dod yn adfail – hysbyseb wael i unrhyw gymuned.
Fodd bynnag, mae yna adegau pan ellir ail-archebu ac addasu adeilad (neu’r tir y mae’n eistedd arno) at ddefnydd cymunedol neu breswyl. I St Matthew’s, dyna oedd y ffordd ymlaen, ac rwy’n falch iawn o allu canmol y rhai a wnaeth benderfyniadau anodd am eu dewrder a’u gweledigaeth i gymryd rhan mewn prosiect mor ffrwythlon.” – Archesgob Cymru, Y Parchedicaf John Davies
Gwybodaeth Bellach
Am ragor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â Rebecca Kentfield
Rebecca Kentfield
Cydlynydd parteriaeth fydd mewn tai forddiadwy
[email protected]
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