First council-backed affordable homes in Saundersfoot mark step forward for Pembrokeshire

First completions at Ger y Môr

The first three two-bedroom homes at the Ger y Môr development in Saundersfoot have been handed over, marking a notable step in Pembrokeshire's drive to increase affordable housing. The scheme is being delivered by Pembrokeshire County Council in partnership with Persimmon Homes and will ultimately provide 21 social homes ranging from one-bedroom flats to three-bedroom houses, with further properties due in the coming weeks.

Council officers describe the programme as designed to address a broad range of local housing needs, with the affordable homes planned and built alongside private properties to create a mixed and cohesive community. The council emphasises consistent design standards and quality across the site to avoid any visual or social divide between tenures.

Local Lettings Policy and community focus

Central to the development is a Local Lettings Policy drawn up with input from the local community. That policy prioritises applicants with strong local connections, aiming to help people remain in, or return to, the communities where they have established ties. The council frames this as part of wider efforts to sustain coastal settlements by improving access to suitable, secure homes for residents.

“The completion of these first homes at Ger y Môr is a significant milestone for Saundersfoot and for the Council’s commitment to delivering more affordable housing.”

Cllr Michelle Bateman, the Cabinet Member for Housing, said the focus on local connections was intended to support residents in securing long-term accommodation in the places they know and value.

Mixed-tenure design and delivery partnership

The Ger y Môr project has been developed as a mixed-tenure site, integrating affordable and private homes. The council credits its partnership with Persimmon Homes for progressing delivery at pace while maintaining shared design principles across the estate. The approach, officers suggest, is aimed at encouraging social integration and a balanced neighbourhood profile.

While no additional timeline has been confirmed beyond the next phase being “due to be completed in the coming weeks,” the council states that the first handovers demonstrate momentum on site and a pipeline of further homes to follow.

Implications for Pembrokeshire’s coastal communities

For Saundersfoot and the wider Pembrokeshire coast, the emergence of new social homes is significant. Coastal towns face distinctive housing pressures, and targeted provision—tied to local connection criteria—can support workforce retention, family stability and community continuity. By locating affordable housing within a mainstream development and applying a uniform design standard, the scheme aims to normalise mixed-tenure living and reduce stigma often associated with standalone social housing.

The council also highlights that meeting identified local need in coastal settings helps maintain the social fabric of communities. In practice, that means providing a range of home sizes to reflect different household types and life stages—from singles and couples to growing families—within walking or commuting distance of local services and employment.

What the scheme delivers

• 21 social homes in total, from one-bed flats to three-bed houses.
• First three two-bedroom homes completed, with more properties to follow in the coming weeks.
• Local Lettings Policy prioritising applicants with strong local connections.
• Mixed-tenure design integrating affordable and private homes with consistent quality and appearance.

At-a-glance figures

As handovers continue, attention will fall on how quickly the remaining homes come forward and how effectively the lettings policy supports local households. The council’s framing of Ger y Môr as both place-making and provision suggests it will be watched closely as a template for future mixed-tenure delivery elsewhere in Pembrokeshire.