Affordable Housing SPD - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

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Appendix 2Housing Need, Affordability and Key Workers1. Housing Needs Assessment1.1 In 2001, David Couttie Associates (DCA) carried out a Borough-wide HousingNeeds Assessment, and desktop updates have been carried out in 2003,2004 and 2005. The original report concluded that about 1,070 affordabledwellings would be required up to 2006 in order to house everyone on theCouncil’s Housing Need Register in 2001, together with all households in needof subsidised affordable housing projected to emerge over the subsequentfive years. This level of development exceeded the overall rate of housingcompletions of all types and tenures projected in the Borough for the sameperiod. It was recognised that this was not economically deliverable, nor wouldit meet the Government objective of creating mixed and inclusive communitiesto meet the existing and projected affordable housing needs in their entiretywithin market housing developments. Nevertheless, the Housing NeedsUpdates have consistently demonstrated a substantial need for affordablehousing which considerably exceeds any realistic expectation of being fullymet.1.2 In 2005, DCA carried out an update to the Housing Needs Assessment. Thereport concludes that access to market housing has become more difficultfor new households than it was in 2004. This is as a result of house priceincreases above wage inflation, increasing the need for subsidised housingespecially in the higher priced rural areas. The total affordable housing needannually is now 1,238 units. Net re-lets of the existing social stock after theRight to Buy impact average 522 units, based on the average of recent years(2002/03 – 2004/05). Even after allowing for this level of supply, there will stillbe an annual affordable housing shortfall of 708 units a year. The HousingNeeds Assessments therefore highlight the need to maximise the provision ofaffordable housing through the planning system.1.3 A Housing Market Assessment is currently being progressed for CentralHampshire and the New Forest (including the Basingstoke and Deane BoroughCouncil area). The final report is due in late summer 07. This will help set thestrategic context for shaping the housing market(s) within the area and willinform the development of future local housing strategies and planning policies.2. Rural Housing Needs Survey2.1 The Council is working with Community Action Hampshire to facilitate ruralhousing development in the rural area. A sub-regional rural housing strategy isbeing discussed within the partnership. A borough-wide Rural Housing NeedSurvey was undertaken in 2003 which found that 18% of the rural populationconsidered themselves to be in housing need and that 86% of that need is forsingle adults and couples without children.Page 22 Supplementary Planning Document
3. Housing Register3.1The Housing Register is the focal point for all applicants and existing socialhousing tenants who seek re-housing. It facilitates the process of prioritising andselecting applicants for long-term social housing tenancies on the basis of housingneed. It also provides an excellent mechanism for assessing and gauging levelsof housing need and actual demand for accommodation throughout the Borough,particularly at a micro level within specific localities.Table 1: Numbers on Housing RegisterTotal on HousingRegisterNumbers inNeed (excludingtransfers)% of Total Registerin Need2002 4281 2512 592003 4497 2743 612004 4764 3010 632005 4937 3262 662006 5058 3454 68Source: Housing Services, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council3.2Analysis of the Housing Register shows that the demand for affordable rentedaccommodation is increasing year on year despite the build programme deliveringover 200 new dwellings per year. As a result, there is an increased need fortemporary homeless accommodation because new houses are not being providedquickly enough. Whilst there are those on the Housing Register who would preferhome ownership, the majority would not be in a position to purchase, even at asignificantly reduced market price. On this basis, the priority for affordable housingprovision continues to be rented accommodation provided by registered sociallandlords, as this is the type of housing that most appropriately responds to localneed.4. Affordability4.1In defining housing requirements, the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) hastaken into account demand, need and preferences. Households that can enterthe general market without intervention of any sort can be defined as demand,whereas those households unable to enter the general market without some formof intervention can be defined as having a housing need. Preferences take intoaccount the costs of buying in the Borough but also reflect the impact of changingemployment patterns and lifestyle changes in tenure choices. Affordabilityis defined by the relationship between local incomes and the local generalhousing market. Therefore, the ability of a household to satisfy its own housingSupplementary Planning Document Page 23
Page 1 and 2: Affordable HousingSupplementaryPlan
Page 3 and 4: Introduction1. Introduction 42. Pre
Page 5 and 6: 3. Monitoring and Review3.1Local Pl
Page 7 and 8: 4.4The main aims of policy C2 are:
Page 9 and 10: 5.4Intermediate affordable housing
Page 11 and 12: initially required by the Council i
Page 13 and 14: 10.3The requirement for affordable
Page 15 and 16: 12.4The Council will adopt the foll
Page 17 and 18: PPS3: Housing (November 2006) inclu
Page 19 and 20: Appendix 1Policy Context1. Governme
Page 21: 5. Housing Strategy5.1The Council
Page 25 and 26: 6. Rental Income Thresholds6.1Renta
Page 27 and 28: Supplementary Planning Document Pag

Affordable Housing SPD - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

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