Carmarthenshire saw 373 homes completed in 2025-26, fewer than the 520 that had been projected at this point last year but 11 more than were built in 2024-25. A further 337 homes were under construction, according to a report before the council's cabinet.
Housing completions below long-term plan
The current local development plan (LDP) identified a requirement of 15,197 homes over 15 years up to 2021, which works out as almost exactly 1,013 per year on average. The plan remains in force while a revised version looking ahead to 2033 is being finalised.
The annual LDP monitoring report said housing completions have only exceeded 700 twice since 2007-08. In 2022-23, completions dropped to 229.
Reasons for the shortfall
The cabinet report said the reasons for the decrease could only be speculated upon but could include the cost of living crisis, the number of available sites, the fact that the adopted LDP is now past its end date, or the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The text repeated word for word what was written in last year's monitoring report.
Cllr Carys Jones, cabinet member for rural affairs, communities and Welsh language, said environmental constraints, housing delivery and infrastructure requirements remain key planning challenges.
Environmental regulations and flood risk
She said flood risk planning policy in Wales had been updated, strengthening requirements about building in flood-prone areas, which has implications for site allocations and future development opportunities across the county.
Concerns about levels of polluting dissolved inorganic nitrogen in marine special areas of conservation, including the Burry Inlet, were another issue, as some planned housing developments may have to prove they won't add to that pollution via the wastewater they generate or provide mitigation measures.
Cllr Jones said monitoring of the LDP confirmed that it remained effective but highlighted the growing importance of environmental regulation.
Cllr Emlyn Schiavone said: "The circumstances are challenging with more need for housing but also the importance of protecting our communities who are facing severe flooding."
Carmarthenshire's population is around 190,000. The LDP monitoring report also included data on primary retail vacancy rates, which fell in Llanelli and Ammanford in 2025-26 but increased in Carmarthen.
