NEW council houses which are being built in Wrexham for the first time in 30 years could be followed by many more, it has been revealed.

Wrexham Council is currently carrying out enabling works on the site of the former Nant Silyn Care Home in Caia Park and in Plas Madoc, where a combined total of 27 new affordable homes will be developed.

The authority is looking to adopt a housing strategy for the next five years, which is aimed at providing more choice over accommodation for residents.

As a social landlord, it currently has a housing stock of 11,200 and Cllr David Griffiths, lead member for housing said he was proud the number would now increase.

However, he added that land supply would be the main barrier to the scheme.

Cllr Griffiths said: “We hope it’s the first of many, but land is going to be our problem because in past times we had to give the land to social registered landlords.

“Now it’s been changed and we are allowed to do it so we’re looking at land that is in our ownership.

“It’s not that this will be a one-off fix, it will be an ongoing programme. “At this moment in time the biggest waiting list is for single accommodation.

“We’re getting two and three bedrooms and the occasional four and five and we’re trying our best to accommodate everybody that comes through us.”

As part of the strategy, the council is looking at bringing properties which have been empty for more than six months back into use.

At present it is spending around £1m a week in order to meet new standards set by the Welsh Government by 2020.

It includes the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms in council properties.

The authority is also planning to improve the standard of private rented housing by using planning legislation and carrying out enforcement.

Council leader Mark Pritchard said the money for the new builds would come from its Housing Revenue Account.

The fund sees rent collected locally being redistributed centrally from Cardiff to help councils improve their housing stock and support borrowing.

Cllr Pritchard said: “It’s a separate account from the council account itself for obvious reasons. It comes from the income generated from rent which comes back to us from Welsh Government through the business plans which we do.

Our residents pay the rent, so they should have all the changes they require, such as new kitchens, bathrooms and fascia boards.”

Wrexham Council’s executive board will be asked to approve the strategy at a meeting on Tuesday.