UK RAAC Campaign Group Submits Urgent Plea to Welsh Government Over Crumbling Gower Estate Homes

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Cardiff, 29 May 2025 — At 2:30pm today, Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, formally delivered two powerful open letters and a supporting petition to the Senedd at Pierhead Street, Cardiff, addressed to Welsh First Minister Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS and Minister for Housing Rt Hon Jayne Bryant MS.

The letters highlight the worsening crisis facing homeowners in Hirwaun’s Gower Estate, where properties built with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) have become structurally unsafe, leaving residents exposed to grave physical, emotional, and financial harm.

Demanding Urgent and Fair Support

Chowdhry’s submissions were made on behalf of both the UK RAAC Campaign Group and the CYMRU RAAC Campaign Group, who have worked closely to assess the impact of the Welsh Government’s current support framework. The message is clear: existing financial assistance schemes are woefully inadequate and exclude the majority of those most in need.

A recent local survey of residents on the Gower Estate revealed that only 2 out of 10 homeowners would qualify for government grants based on restrictive eligibility criteria. Most are ruled out because they are not receiving certain benefits, haven't occupied their homes long enough, or possess limited savings that disqualify them.

In his letter to the First Minister and Housing Minister, Chowdhry writes:

“While grant schemes may exist on paper, they fail to address the needs of real residents living in unsafe and deteriorating conditions. These individuals — many of them elderly — are being asked to pay the price for historic construction failures they could not have foreseen or prevented.”

Call for Government Action

The letters set out a series of concrete demands, including:

• The creation of a dedicated financial support scheme for all RAAC-affected homeowners, including private landlords.

• Reform of grant criteria to reflect the urgency of structural risks — not merely means-tested poverty thresholds.

• Introduction of interest-free loans or remediation grants regardless of benefit status.

• Collaboration with the UK Government and other devolved nations to build a UK-wide housing remediation strategy.

Chowdhry warns that unless the Welsh Government responds with compassion and urgency, the Gower Estate could become “a blueprint for how not to manage a national housing emergency.”

Systemic Failures and the Burden on the Vulnerable

The letters also expose a wider issue: RAAC was never disclosed during the sales of these ex-council properties, leaving homeowners unaware of the life-altering risks they were inheriting. Many of these individuals bought their homes under the UK Government’s Right to Buy scheme, with hopes of security and stability — dreams now shattered.

Additionally, the Gower Estate lies in one of Wales' most socio-economically disadvantaged communities, compounding the impact of this crisis. Without immediate intervention, residents — many of them pensioners — face the threat of bankruptcy or homelessness.

A National Response for a National Crisis

The letters urge the Welsh Government to take a leadership role in advocating for broader reforms, including:

• Introduction of government-backed, interest-free mortgages for homeowners whose properties have become uninhabitable due to no-fault structural safety defects such as RAAC.

• The restoration of first-time buyer status for displaced homeowners.

• A reformed Building Safety Act 2022 that finally puts homeowners first, offering lasting protection against hidden construction faults and safety failures.

• A Creation of a national ‘High Risk Homes Register’ to protect future buyers from hidden dangers.

A Formal Request for Dialogue

Finally, the letters conclude with a respectful request for a face-to-face meeting with ministers, alongside representatives from the CYMRU and UK RAAC Campaign Groups, to chart a pathway toward practical and inclusive solutions.

Wilson Chowdhry summarised the urgency in a closing statement:

“These homeowners are not looking for handouts. They are simply asking for fairness, transparency, and the same dignity every citizen deserves — the right to live in a safe home. It’s time the Welsh Government responded not just with policy, but with humanity.”