Scores of new council houses are to be built in Denbighshire as part of a commitment to provide affordable homes.

Denbighshire County Council is embarking on an ambitious programme to ensure access to good quality housing by building 170 council houses over the next five years, as part of its new set of corporate priorities which were approved at a full council meeting last week at County Hall, Ruthin.

It will complement the ongoing improvement work to the council’s existing housing stock.

Denbighshire Housing’s five-year programme focuses on creating more homes to meet local need and demand.

Jamie Groves, the council’s head of facilities, assets and housing, said: “Denbighshire is rising to the challenge for the need for more affordable housing by utilising new freedoms granted to local authorities by building 170 new council houses over the next five years.

“We will be ensuring that sufficient suitable homes are provided to meet local need and demand.

“Our strategy is for residents to be able to live in homes that meet their needs, within vibrant and sustainable communities throughout the county. 

“Key to achieving this aim is increasing the supply of all types of accommodation including council houses, open market housing, low-cost ownership schemes as well as private, intermediate and social rented accommodation.

“We have also been investing in updating our current housing stock, creating better homes and neighbourhoods for our residents with quality and modern improvements that exceed the standards expected of us.”

Councillor for Llandrillo, Mabon ap Gwynfor said: "It was a Plaid Cymru Councillor that proposed scrapping Right to Buy to safeguard th evalue of our Council housing stock

"Rebuilding council houses was a key manifestop pledge in Plaid Cymru's May manifesto. We welcome this warmly, it's proof that being part of an effective opposition can bear fruit.

"It's not as much as we might want to see, but it's a significant step in the right direction."