Trivallis statement on new housing developments

Why is Trivallis building more homes?
We are building more homes because there is a serious housing shortage. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, nearly 5,000 households are waiting for social housing, but only around 1,100 homes become available each year. Many people in urgent need have to wait a long time for a suitable home.

Also, many of our older homes built in the 1950s and 60s need a lot of investment to bring them up to current standards. Where needed, these are being replaced with modern, eco-friendly homes, as in Penrhys and Mitchell Court.

Our housebuilding is driven solely by local housing need.

Who gets the new homes?
Social homes are allocated by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council through the RCT Homefinder system. Priority goes to people in greatest need, such as those who are homeless, have severe health problems, or are leaving care or hospital. Top priority is also given to people who have served in the regular or reserve Armed Forces who have been made homeless since leaving the armed forces.

The housing register does not prioritise people just because they are ‘local’ but because they are in most urgent need of a home. Allocating homes to people who need them most is fairer because it ensures that those facing serious challenges, like poor health, disability, or homelessness, get the support they urgently require. While being local is important, meeting basic needs like safety, health, and stability should come first. This approach helps create a more compassionate and supportive community for everyone.

In practice, more than 19 out of every 20 homes allocated go to people who have strong local ties to RCT. In the last year 90% of people who were allocated social housing in RCT were already living here while another 6% had a local connection such as working in RCT or having family living here.

What about doing repairs to current homes instead?
Our repairs service has improved significantly in recent years, and we will continue to work to improve things further. The average repair time is now just under 15 days, a 23% improvement from last year. An independent review by Housemark placed us in the top 10% of most improved landlords for repairs across the UK. Customer satisfaction remains strong, with 84% happy with the repairs service and 91% satisfied with our tradespeople on site.

New homes are easier to maintain and bring in more rent. This extra income helps pay for repairs and improvements to older properties. So, building more homes means we can take better care of the ones we already have.

Are Trivallis’s rents affordable?
Our average rent is £479.99 monthly (£110.47 weekly), lower than the RCT average. In 2024, we adopted the Living Rent model, which links rent to income. New rents will not exceed 23% of an average household’s income, making them genuinely affordable.

Does Trivallis pay the Council for planning permission?
Like everyone, we must pay planning application fees to the Council to cover the cost they incur in dealing with and deciding on our planning applications.

Almost all developers make legal payments to the Council after a site is built. These are used by the Council to pay for local services on new estates such as bin collections, playgrounds and road repairs. The payments are tightly regulated and properly controlled.

Why build more houses when it’s impossible to park, see a doctor, get a dentist etc?

When we build new housing, we work with the Council through legal agreements to help fund improvements to local services. This can include money for new schools, better roads, green spaces, and sometimes even support for health services. In big developments like Penrhys, the plans include things like a new primary school and community facilities.

Also, without new homes, people, especially younger families or those in real need, have nowhere to live locally. That leads to overcrowding, homelessness, and people being forced to move away from the area they grew up in.

So, while housing alone can’t fix every problem, not building new homes only makes the crisis worse. Our goal is to build well-planned communities that support both existing and new residents.

Mitchell Court, Tonypandy
Mitchell Court was in very poor condition and could not realistically be refurbished. We worked with tenants to move them to suitable new homes, then demolished the building. A planning application has been submitted for new flats and houses, which will go to people in housing need through the RCT register.

Penrhys
Homes in Penrhys need a lot of money spending on them and are badly designed. We are working with residents to redevelop the estate. The first phase includes around 123 modern homes, some for social rent to current residents and some for sale. Over the next 10 years, we plan to build up to 1000 homes, green spaces, and community facilities. A new primary school has also been announced.

The original Penrhys estate was seen as modern when it was built, but it didn’t age well. In the 1980s, unemployment and other issues led to serious problems in the area. That was 45 years ago, and things are very different now. By working with the residents, Trivallis wants to avoid past mistakes and create something better. With modern homes, great views, green spaces, and a mix of residents, it believes Penrhys can become one of the best places to live in the Valleys.

Some homes will go to current residents and those on the local housing register, and many more will be for sale to anyone who wishes to buy one.

If you’ve got questions about our new housing development, come talk to us. We welcome messages through our Facebook page and we’re always here to listen.