Residents and activists carrying ‘Wales is Not for Sale’ signs are gearing up to march through the Welsh town of Machynlleth in Powys in a demonstration calling for housing rights to be legally protected. The rally, organised by Welsh language group Cymdeithas yr Iaith and supported by the Welsh housing charity Tai Pawb, aims to highlight the pressing need for “adequate and sustainable housing” as a fundamental human right.
Tai Pawb had previously introduced a bill in 2019 advocating for individuals to have access to a “good home” in Wales, emphasising the severity of the housing crisis in the country. With demand far surpassing supply, many individuals find themselves priced out of the local property market or living in unsuitable and unsafe conditions in their homes.
The rally, scheduled for Saturday, September 14, will commence at 2pm at the Maengwyn car park before proceeding to the Glynd?r Monument on the Plas Grounds in Machynlleth. Distinguished speakers such as Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell MS, representatives from Cymdeithas yr Iaith and Machynlleth Town Council, and writer Mike Parker are expected to participate. The event will be led by Welsh-language activist Arwyn Groe.
In recent years, Cymdeithas yr Iaith has been advocating for measures to address the impact of second homes on Welsh-speaking communities, including urging the Welsh Government and local authorities to take action. To combat the housing crisis, the group is calling for legislation that establishes the right to housing as a legal entitlement, akin to healthcare and education rights.
Efforts to address the housing situation in Wales have seen councils implementing higher council tax rates for empty or second homes, adjusting business rates for accommodation providers, and considering new regulations to prevent the conversion of properties into holiday lets without planning permission. Cymdeithas yr Iaith stresses that targeting second homes alone will not resolve the underlying issue of treating housing as a commodity rather than a human right.
The demonstration aims to draw attention to the need for a “Property Act – No Less,” a legislative framework that would afford every individual in Wales the right to secure housing. By mobilising residents, activists, and stakeholders, the rally in Machynlleth seeks to push for meaningful change to address the housing crisis and ensure housing security for all Welsh residents.