Unused faith spaces could provide 7,000 homes in Wales

A new report by the Bevan Foundation and Housing Justice Cymru highlights how unused faith-owned spaces across Wales could help tackle the country’s severe social housing shortage.

With one in every 215 households living in temporary accommodation, the need for affordable homes has reached crisis levels.

However, the report reveals an opportunity to address this shortage by redeveloping unused places of worship and faith-owned land.

The research estimates that up to 7,000 new homes could be created through such projects.

Finding suitable land is a significant barrier to building new social and community-led housing, with many potential development sites either in unsuitable locations or priced too high for affordable housing projects.

Faith-owned spaces could offer an alternative. Redeveloping these sites would not only provide much-needed homes but also prevent disused buildings from falling into disrepair.

The Most Revd John Davies, former Archbishop of Wales and Chair of Housing Justice Cymru, emphasised the importance of repurposing these spaces before they deteriorate.
“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,” he said. “The least attractive option for that building is that it closes and becomes a ruin. There are occasions when the clearance of the site and the construction of new facilities is a feasible option.”

The report calls on the Welsh Government, local authorities, and faith-based organisations to recognise and commit to this opportunity.

It recommends a strategic, government-led approach that would coordinate efforts with various groups, alongside flexible policies and funding to support redevelopment projects.

Wendy Dearden, Senior Policy and Research Officer at the Bevan Foundation, said practical steps are essential to overcome the obstacles to turning these sites into housing.

“Far too often these opportunities to redevelop important community buildings get put in the ‘too difficult to do’ box,” she said.

“With the shortage of social homes and sites upon which to develop them, we must be looking at every opportunity. Our recommendations aim to find a way through the barriers to their potential being harnessed.”

The work has been supported by Cwmpas, a cooperative development organisation, which also advocates for community-led solutions to the housing crisis.