Central courtyard plan for new council housing development in Swansea

A central courtyard is at the heart of the first council housing development in more than a generation in Swansea.A planning application has been submitted for 10 semi-detached two-bedroom houses and eight one-bedroom flats off Milford Way, Penderry.The Passivhaus-style properties would be very energy efficient and airtight, meaning low bills, and are set to be followed in due course by another council house development at Parc y Helig, Llansamlet.These two affordable housing schemes are considered pilot projects for further council house-building across the county.The Milford Way proposal is on a brownfield site, close to the site of long-demolished supermarket Leo’s.The land had been shortlisted in 2012 as a potential second travellers’ site, but that is no longer the case.The planning document said the design of the development included a mix of housing types of simple, durable and detailed facades, with brick porches and aluminium-clad windows. The gardens would be at least 10m long.The development would be funded by revenue from council rents and not from council tax.Building work, it’s anticipated, will start on site later this year.The authority said it has been unable to build new houses in Swansea since the 1980s because of UK Government restrictions, but recent changes now mean it can.