Since the establishment of the Welsh Assembly Government there has been more emphasis on indigenous enterprises in relation to economic development policy. However, the housing-related sector has received little attention. This paper1 presents the results of research that has investigated this sector and its significance to the local economy. Whilst acknowledging the considerable data-related difficulties in this exercise, analysis of housing and housing-related functions (including construction, finance, legal services, management of housing stock) showed that the sector accounted for around 4.5% of Welsh employment, and had considerable potential for assisting in the future development of the regional economy.
BarlowJ. (1999) From craft production to mass customisation: innovation requirements for the UK housebuilding industry, Housing Studies, 14(1), pp. 23–42.
3.
BarlowJ.BallM. (1999) Introduction — improving British housing supply, Housing Studies, 14(1), pp. 5–8.
4.
BlackJ.de MezaD. (1996) House prices, the supply of collateral and the enterprise economy, Economic Journal, 106(434), pp. 60–76.
5.
BrooksbankD.CliftonN.Jones-EvansD.PickernellD. (2001) The end of the beginning? Welsh regional policy and Objective One, European Planning Studies, 9(2), pp. 255–274.
6.
Bulmer-ThomasV. (1982) Input-Output Analysis in Developing Countries (Chichester: Wiley).
7.
Cambridge Econometrics (2001) The spatial implications of growing tradability in services: the case of UK call centre developments, Regional Economic Prospects, February, pp. 41–47.
8.
CarterS.EnnisS.LoweA.TaggS.TzokasN.WebbJ.AndriopoulosC. (2000) Barriers to Survival and Growth in UK Small Firms (Glasgow: Report to the Federation of Small Businesses).
9.
DaveyM.EarleyF. (2001) Mortgage Equity Withdrawal (London: Council of Mortgage Lenders).
10.
DfEE (2000) Skills for All. Research report from the National Skills Task Force.
11.
EarleyF.WilliamsP. (2002) National Markets Review 2001/2002, Wales, Housing Finance, pp. 44–52.
12.
EganJ. (1998) Rethinking construction: The Report of the Construction Task Force to the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, on the Scope for Improving the Quality and Efficiency of UK Construction (London: DETR).
13.
GibbK.KeoghanM. (1998) Backward linkages from construction, Local Economy, 10, November, pp. 198–215.
14.
HallG. (1995) Surviving and Prospering in the Small Firm Sector (London: Routledge).
15.
LathamM. (1994) Constructing the Team (London: HMSO).
16.
LeatherP. (2000) Grants to home-owners: a policy in search of objectives, Housing Studies, 15(2), pp. 149–168.
17.
MalpassP.MullinsD. (2002) Local authority housing stock transfer in the UK: from local initiative to national policy, Housing Studies, 17(3), pp. 673–686.
18.
McLennanD.MoreA. (2001) Changing social housing in Great Britain: a comparative perspective, European Journal of Housing Policy, 1(1), pp. 105–134.
19.
MillerC.WilliamsT.DauntonL. (1998) Issues facing small and medium sized construction enterprises in Industrial South Wales: Can they survive beyond the year 2000?In: Proceedings of the 14th Annual ARCOM Conference, University of Reading, pp. 624–633.
20.
Monopolies & Mergers Commission (1997) Solicitors' Estate Agency Services in Scotland: A Report on the Supply of Residential Estate Agency Services in Scotland (London: The Stationary Office).
21.
NicoliniD.HoltiR.SmalleyM. (2001) Integrating project activities: the theory and practice of managing the supply chain through clusters, Construction Management and Economics, 19, pp. 37–47.
22.
ParisC.MuirJ. (2002) After housing policy: housing and the UK general election 2001, Housing Studies, 17(1), pp. 151–164.
23.
PickernellD.BrooksbankD.McGovernM. (2001) Hitting the triple bottom line or hitting rock bottom? Regional policy development and resource issues in the light of political devolution, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, 7(3), pp. 261–284.
24.
PickernellD.ParsonsL.MundayM.RobertsA.RocheN. (2002) Housing, Financial Services and the Welsh Economy (London: Council of Mortgage Lenders).
25.
Social Housing (2001) Welsh stock transfers offer potential to raise £2bn rent based loans, Social Housing, 13(6), p. 13.
26.
South Glamorgan TEC (1996) Labour Market Assessment for Industrial South Wales (Cardiff: South Glamorgan TEC).
27.
ThompsonJ. L. (1996) Strategic Management (London: Chapman and Hall).
28.
WalkerR.M. (2001) How to abolish public housing : Implications and lessons for public management reform, Housing Studies, 16(5), pp. 675–696.
29.
WelchB. (1996) Developing Managers for the Smaller Business: A Report on the Training and Development Needs (London: The Institute of Management).
30.
Welsh Assembly Government (1998) Welsh House Condition Survey 1998 (Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government).
31.
Welsh Assembly Government (2001) Better Homes for People in Wales: A National Housing Strategy for Wales (Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government).
32.
Welsh Assembly Government (2002) Housing Transfer Guidelines (Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government).
33.
Welsh Economy Research Unit (WERU) (2000) Input-Output Tables for Wales 1996 (Cardiff: WERU).
34.
WestheadP.BirleyS. (1995) A comparison of new businesses established by ‘Novice’ and ‘Habitual’ founders in Great Britain, International Small Business Journal, 12, pp. 38–60.
