As part of our CCR Invest Partner Programme, we’re shining a spotlight on the organisations working with us to help shape the future of the Cardiff Capital Region.
In this interview, we spoke to Bron Afon about its role as a social housing provider and community-focused organisation, its plans for growth and regeneration, and the opportunities it sees across southeast Wales.
From developing new social homes in neighbouring local authorities to exploring ambitious regeneration opportunities in Cwmbran, Bron Afon is looking ahead to a period of growth and opportunity.
We also find out how the CCR Invest Partner Programme is helping Bron Afon strengthen strategic relationships, make new connections and engage with key events and conversations across Wales and beyond.
Who are Bron Afon?
We are a not-for-profit social enterprise, registered social landlord and community mutual organisation, which manages and maintains over 8,100 homes across Torfaen. In the last year, we have started to develop new social homes in neighbouring boroughs including Caerphilly and Newport.
At the heart of everything we do every day is our passion for delivering excellent services to our customers, providing high-quality homes and supporting people in their communities. Our vision is: “We are trusted to help build safe and strong communities where everyone has a place they are proud to call home.”
How do you see your organisation growing / evolving in the next year?
We have already started consulting with customers, colleagues and partners on a new corporate plan that will set the direction for our organisation from 2028-2033. Working with Community Housing Cymru to scope their research into increasing challenges facing the housing sector will inform our planning and will help us to better understand the cumulative pressures we are seeing to balance meeting the needs of customers, policy, regulatory and economic factors.
Why does the Invest partnership programme matter to your organisation?
The Invest partnership programme matters because it helps us strengthen existing strategic relationships, build new connections and unlock more opportunities. It gives us access to additional funding through CCR and its partners, while enabling us to take part in major events across Wales and nationally. This helps increase our knowledge, understanding and influence on key issues. It also helps us demonstrate our commitment to expanding our development programme and supports our reputation as a key housing provider across southeast Wales.
What projects are you working on at the moment that you can share e.g. any new developments that you can talk about?
We are in the early stages of working on several opportunities which we’ll be happy to discuss with CCR once we’ve advanced them. One of our big projects which we’re excited about is the potential regeneration of Fairwater Square in Cwmbran. We have recently created a project group with Torfaen County Borough Council and other key stakeholders to progress whole scale regeneration in the area which we envision as a genuinely mixed tenure, mixed use development.
Has the partnership programme given you an opportunity to make new connections?
Yes, most definitely! Attending the CCR showcase dinner in London and the UKREiiF conference allowed us to meet new colleagues and begin building relationships with them and their organisations in a short space of time. We look forward to forthcoming events to continue to strengthen these relationships.
What flagship events have you joined us at and what was your experience of those events?
As well as the events already mentioned, we joined you at the CCR event in Newport Market on 2nd July, where we were able to meet CCR partners and specific CCR colleagues.
What does the next year look like for Bron Afon?
Very exciting! We are expanding our development and regeneration programme, unlocking some key schemes, consolidating our recently developed relationships with CCR and its partners and building our reputation as a leading partner in the sector in southeast Wales. Bring it on!
Bron Afon’s plans highlight the opportunities that can come from bringing together housing, regeneration, investment and strong regional partnerships.
As its development and regeneration programme continues to grow, the organisation is looking to build on the relationships it has established through the CCR Invest Partner Programme and play an active role in creating new opportunities across southeast Wales.
We look forward to continuing to work with Bron Afon, supporting its ambitions and seeing how these emerging projects develop over the year ahead.
Interested in becoming a CCR Invest Partner? Find out more about the programme and how your organisation can get involved: CCR Invest Partnership Programme
