WICKHAM PARISH

HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY

APRIL 2007

PICTURE OF WICKHAM HERE

FINAL REPORT WICKHAM PARISH

Contents of Housing Needs Survey Report

Page

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction

5 Purpose and Methodology

6 Response to Survey

7 Current Housing Situation – Key Features

9 Survey Analysis – More Detailed Findings

13 Public Comments

14 Conclusions

15 Recommendations

Appendix I Definitions of Affordable housing types Appendix II Data Analysis Appendix III Survey Questionnaire Appendix IV Interview Form Appendix V Community Land Trust Leaflet Appendix VI Report on Interviews Appendix VII Public comments

2 Executive Summary – Wickham Parish

 The survey was carried out in April 2007 with a closing date of 30/4/07.

 There was a good response of 23% to the 100% survey (or census) of households in the Parish.

 18.3% of properties in Wickham are in council tax band F or above, only 17.4% are in bands A and B.

 80% of respondents own their properties. 40 (9%) of respondents live in housing owned by Winchester City Council or a Housing Association.

 87% of respondents would support the idea of a further small affordable housing scheme for local people.

 68 households indicated that they were in need of housing, although 28 preferred to meet their needs within the open market.

 Of the 31 households interviewed, 7 would be eligible and able to afford a Community Land Trust shared equity home and 6 an intermediate rented home.

 It is recommended that, based on the findings of the survey, housing register data held by the City Council and on affordability criteria, a scheme of 25 – 30 homes or two schemes totalling this number is developed to meet the needs of those requiring affordable social housing.

 In addition, 8 homes could be provided through the Community Land Trust model.

 Although the need stated is likely to be an under-representation of the actual need for both social rented and Community Land Trust homes as there was not a 100% response rate, the number of homes recommended is fewer than the number of households in need to allow for the fluctuation over time of the number of households in need with a local connection.

3 WICKHAM PARISH

Housing Needs Survey

APRIL 2007

SURVEY REPORT

1. Introduction

1.1 The Wickham Housing Needs Survey was carried out by Debbie Rhodes, one of the three Rural Housing Enablers (RHE) for Hampshire, based at Community Action Hampshire (CAH).

1.2 The motivation and reason for the survey is perhaps best expressed in the letter from the Parish Council and Wickham Affordable Housing Group which accompanied the survey questionnaire:

Everyone knows that it is getting more difficult for local people to find a home as housing costs increase……We are aware there is a need for additional social housing; this survey aims to update existing information. The Affordable Housing Group would also like to identify whether there is a need for housing for local people who do not qualify for social housing but are unable to afford to buy or rent privately.

1.3 The role of the Rural Housing Enablers for Hampshire is to support and encourage an increase in the provision of affordable1, social housing in rural areas. This initiative is based on the acknowledged exclusion, regardless of need, of many local people on lower incomes from the rural housing market caused by house price inflation. In this role, CAH has carried out the survey as an independent resource for the local community.

1.4 The survey has been carried out at no financial cost to the Parish Council and the Affordable Housing Group.

1.5 Local volunteers delivered the survey forms to all households and trained volunteers undertook the interviews of households in housing need.

1 Planning Policy Statement 3 states ‘Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and registered social landlords for which guideline rents are determined through the national rent regime. Intermediate affordable housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent, but below market price or rents.’ Appendix 1 provides full definitions of the types of housing that are included within the ‘affordable housing’ umbrella, from Planning Policy Statement 3.

4 2. Purpose and Methodology

2.1 The purpose of the survey was to acquire detailed information about the current housing situation and the numbers and types of households in housing need and to find out what kind of alternative housing they were seeking. Also, it gave the people of Wickham an opportunity to express their views on what was needed or not with regard to affordable housing and to suggest possible sites.

2.2 Although based on a core questionnaire, the survey form (a copy is appended to the report) was compiled in consultation with the Parish Council and Wickham Affordable Housing Group (WAHG) and agreed by the Parish Council and WAHG in its final form before distribution. An additional question was included at the request of the Parish Council and WAHG.

2.3 An important element in the design of the form was to reveal what is called hidden or concealed households, people who cannot afford to be in the housing market and are living within another household.

2.4 The forms were delivered by hand to all households in the parish of Wickham.

2.5 The forms were returned in prepaid envelopes to the Rural Housing Enabler.

2.6 As the questionnaires went to 100% of households, this is a total survey or census rather than a sample survey. There is a presumption (Source: A Guide to Housing Needs Assessment, IOH 1993) that there will be a greater response from those in need. I have therefore not ‘grossed up’ any figures in the survey. What this means is that the need stated is certainly an under-representation of the real situation. The actual figures from the survey can therefore be used as a guide for the number of homes which need to be built. It is demonstrable need.

2.7 It should be noted that a few respondents did not answer all the questions asked and some respondents ticked more than one answer. Percentages quoted are based on responses received for that particular question.

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3. Response to Survey

3.1 Of the 1700 questionnaires distributed, 391 were processed, a 23% response. A further 15 forms were returned after the closing date and have not been included in the data analysis. The response rate is good for such a survey and is large enough to have good statistical validity. Of the 391 completed forms, 81 were completed by residents from Knowle and 310 by Wickham residents. According to Hampshire County 2005 Population forecasts for 2007, 4172 people live in the parish in 1841 households. The current Council Tax Register shows 1773 properties: the 1700 forms distributed validate this as a 100% survey.

3.2 A complete breakdown of the data as compiled from all the answers to the questions on the survey form is presented in the following sections of the report which analyse the key features and present the key findings from the data analysis.

3.3 The survey was carried out between 1st and 30th April 2007. The data processing was carried out by external consultants who returned the information contained in Appendix I in May 2007. The data was checked and analysed further by Community Action Hampshire. In addition, WAHG undertook interviews with the households that completed part 2 of the questionnaire, indicating that they are in housing need, and who were willing to be interviewed. This work was completed by August 2007 and the financial information was analysed anonymously by a trained officer of Winchester City Council.

Appendix II contains a full breakdown of the data. Appendix III is a copy of the survey questionnaire Appendix IV is a copy of the interview questions

6 4. Current Housing Situation – Key Features

The Housing Market and Stock

4.1 In the first 6 months of 2007, 46 homes were sold in the postcode area PO17 5, which includes Wickham and Knowle. The average price of a semi-detached house was £234,249, a detached house was £518,444, a flat was £145,487 and a terraced house was £207,197 2. The parish comprises 1773 properties of which 17.4% are in Council Tax bands A and B, the lowest value and 18.3% in band F or above. Most properties (64.3%) are clustered in bands C to E. These figures have significance for affordability for those on lower incomes as will be explored later in the report. There are 22 second homes on the Council Tax Register.

4.2 There are 344 properties in the social rented sector in Wickham Parish, 120 owned by Registered Social Landlords (RSL) and 224 by Winchester City Council (WCC).

4.3 In the 12 months to the end of 2006, 1 RSL property was re-let and 15 properties were re-let by WCC. In the previous 2 years there were 14 RSL re-lets and 29 WCC re-lets.

4.4 Over the past five years to 2006, 82 new housing association houses have been built.

4.5 Over the 12 months to December 2006, no houses were sold through the Right To Acquire or Right To Buy. In the previous four years 5 properties were sold through the Right to Buy.

Housing Need

4.6 The survey data from part 1 of the questionnaire indicates that 84 households have expressed a need for new or alternative accommodation.

4.7 70 of these households need housing or re-housing within the next 5 years, 14 households in 5 or more years.

4.8 A total of 28 households in the parish report that people have moved away in the past five years because of difficulties in finding a suitable home.

2 Source: www.rightmove.co.uk

7 4.9 68 households completed Part 2 of the questionnaire concerning their housing needs.

Public Support for Affordable Housing

4.10 There is a good level of support for a new scheme of affordable housing. Of those 365 households responding to the question, 83% would support a small development of affordable housing for local people in the parish if there were a proven need.

Sustainability

4.9 The sustainability of a community needs to be considered in economic, social and environmental terms. Economic factors include the viability of local services and the survival and growth of local amenities and organisations. Social factors include supporting social and family networks and a balanced social mix. Environmental factors include minimising the use of resources, protecting and conserving the environment, and accessibility and transport considerations when planning the design and location of new housing.

4.11 As with most rural settlements, village facilities and amenities have declined over the past 40 years. The village has a number of shops including one which contains a post office and it has a mobile library service. It has a primary school and pre-school provisions, and a church. Also located in the village is a GP’s surgery, a community hall and leisure amenities including a children’s play area, playing fields and tennis courts and a number of public houses. The public transport service to neighbouring towns is reasonable, with a service at least once per hour. 4.12 With regard to the social element of sustainability, impact assessments undertaken across Hampshire3 demonstrate the success of affordable housing in meeting local needs, enabling people with a strong local connection to remain in the parish and thus contributing to the social mix of the settlements.

3 Impact Surveys have been undertaken in East Hampshire, Test Valley and New Forest District Council areas

8 5. Survey Analysis – More Detailed Findings

5.1 Appendix II provides a detailed breakdown analysis of all the responses to the Survey Questionnaire. The following represents some of the findings.

Existing Ownership Profile

5.2 Houses and bungalows comprise 84% of the housing stock detailed in the survey findings, whilst 12% of homes are flats, maisonettes, apartments or bed-sits and 3% are sheltered or retirement homes. A high percentage, 38% are owned outright and a further 40% are owned with a mortgage. 1% are owned on a shared ownership basis. Public sector rented represents 15% of the stock while private sector tied or rented is 5%.

5.3 Over 66% of the properties have three or more bedrooms, with only one third of homes being smaller homes appropriate for first time buyers, younger families, couples or single people most likely to be from the 19% of the survey population between the ages of 16 – 34 years (43% of the population in housing need fell within this age range.)

5.4 Some 69% of households are of 1 or 2 persons which when linked to the above latter two categories inclines the population to having a skew towards an ageing population. If to this is added the data on longevity of residence where 32% of respondents have lived in the parish for over 20 years and a further 16% between 11 and 20 years, this low turnover of property is an added factor, making it difficult for younger people to stay in the village even if they could afford to do so. The indication that there are 8 households living within other households may mean that overcrowding is the resort of these households as a means to stay in the village if they are unable to find suitable alternative accommodation.

5.5 Of the households having a disability that affects their housing requirements, 13 have had their home adapted.

Households Requiring Alternative Accommodation

5.6 There are 28 households, 7% of the survey population, where someone from the family has had to move away in the last five years due to difficulty in finding accommodation locally.

5.7 There are 70 households, 19% of the survey population, who need to move together now or in the next five years.

5.8 14 (4%) households indicated that they will need to move in 5 or more years.

9 Housing Need in Detail

5.9 68 households completed Part 2 of the questionnaire indicating that they are in housing need. 18 households in need are from Knowle and 50 from Wickham. 2 of the 15 forms that arrived after the closing date were from households in housing need.

5.10 60 of the households wish to move together as a household, 4 are living within another household and 4 households wish to move back to the parish from elsewhere.

5.11 32 households (47%) need to move within the next 2 years and 22 (32%) between 2 and 5 years from now. 14 households (21%) need to move in 5 or more years.

5.12 Most (57%) households prefer a house; 14 (20%) indicated that a flat/maisonette or apartment would meet their needs; 9 (13%) want a bungalow and 6 (7%) preferred sheltered accommodation.

5.13 A further question about the accommodation indicated that 7 households require ground floor accommodation, 5 required support services and 1 needed an adapted home.

5.14 With regard to the size of households in need, 17 households (26%) are one- person households; 16 (24%) are couples; 18 (27%) are a two-parent household; 8 (12%) a one-parent household; and 2 (3%) an older-person household.

5.15 98% of people responding to the question on ethnicity indicated that they are white British.

5.16 16 (24%) of the households in need are currently on the Winchester Joint Housing Register.

5.17 The main reasons given for needing alternative accommodation were – needing to set up independent accommodation (27%) indicating young people not being able to access housing by affordability or supply; needing larger accommodation (24%); 9% needed cheaper accommodation; 4% needed secure accommodation and 3% needed to move to avoid harassment.

10 Affordability

5.18 In answer to the question on preference of tenure, 28 (42%) would prefer to buy on the open market; 1 household prefers to rent privately; the remainder require housing association accommodation, 29 (44%) to rent and 8 (12%) through New Build Homebuy (shared ownership).

5.19 When questioned about how the household would consider paying for accommodation (with multiple boxes to tick), the results were different. 9 (10%) indicated they would rent from a private landlord; 28 (30%) would like to rent from the local authority, housing association etc; 31 (33%) would buy as a sole owner with a mortgage; 23 (25%) would like to buy as a shared owner; and 3 (3%)) indicated another preference.

5.20 When asked what was the maximum weekly outgoing they could afford, 44 households (73%) could afford less than £150 per week (£599 per month). Unless households have considerable savings, local house prices and the supply of houses on the open market may present a gap between aspiration and attainment for many of the households in need.

5.21 This is further borne out by the income data supplied. 34 (72%) of the households in housing need have a net income of less than £1665 per month, generally accepted as the threshold by which a household might be considered to be financially eligible for a shared ownership property. Renting from a housing association might be the only option for these families at present.

Local Connection

5.22 Of the responses to the question on local connection, 56 respondents (93%) live in the parish. Other strong local connections were also ticked including 12 people working in the parish. 6 responded that though they do not live in Wickham now, they had lived in the parish in the last 20 years.

5.23 5 people indicated that they had not been able to take up a job offer in Wickham due to the lack of affordable housing.

5.24 Most affordable housing provided in small rural communities by Housing Associations is built on exception sites4. Housing is only permitted on exception sites where there is evidence of need from people with a local connection to the

4 Exceptionally, small scale housing developments on sites adjoining villages may be permitted, to meet the needs of local people unable to afford to rent or purchase property on the open market, provided that certain criteria are met.

11 Parish. The housing must be affordable, for local people, and remain so in perpetuity.

5.25 The Local Connection criteria are set out in a Section 106 Agreement5. The Parish Council, Winchester City Council and the Housing Association agree the criteria.

Housing through a Community Land Trust Model

5.26 A Community Land Trust is a not for profit, community-based organisation that owns land and property for public benefit. Land is taken out of the market and is only leased or rented, never sold, so that the land value is captured for all time for the benefit of the community.

5.27 The 68 households that indicated that they are in need of affordable housing were contacted by the Rural housing Enabler to ask whether they would like to be interviewed further about their housing needs.

5.28 The Wickham Affordable Housing Group undertook short discussions with those households that agreed to be interviewed.

5.29 The purpose of the interview was to establish whether the household would be able to afford a shared equity home or intermediate rented home provided through a Community Land Trust and whether they would prefer this model (compared with social rented housing or shared ownership/New Build Homebuy).

5.30 31 households were interviewed. Of the households that were interested in a Community Land Trust home, 7 households could afford and would be eligible for a shared quity home (based on the current qualifying criteria for New Build HomeBuy products in Hampshire 6The size of home required is 1 for a 1 bedroom flat, 4 for2 bedroomed flats and 2 for 3 bedroomed houses.

5.31 In addition a further 6 households would be able to afford an intermediate rented home, based on the criterion that the rent would be no more than a third of gross income. Of the 6, 2 would require a 1 bedroom flat, 1 a 2 bedroom flat, 1 a 2 bedroom house and 2 for a 3 bedroom house.

5 Where allocation of a dwelling is restricted by a Planning Obligation under s 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, then nominations shall be made in accordance with the criteria set down in that agreement. 6 The mortgage multiplier used for single mortgages is 3.5 times gross incomes; the multiplier used for joint mortgages is 2.75 times gross incomes; possible purchase price includes the full amount of any savings, capital and/or family assistance.

12 5.32 In answer to the question on preference of tenure, 15 prefer a community land trust shared equity home as first choice with 9 as second choice; 5 prefer intermediate rental with 2 as second choice; 10 prefer shared ownership with 11 as second choice; and 10 prefer social rent with 1 as second choice

5.33 The interviewers also asked household members why they wished to remain or return to Wickham parish. The following responses are typical: “I have lived in Wickham all my life; all my family are here; I work here” “I have family in the area; my job is close by” “We are settled in the area: our children go to school in Wickham” “All our friends and family live in the area”

5.34 Occupations included teacher, psychiatric nurse, groundsman, hairdresser, student, catering and customer service advisor.

5.35 It should be noted that all the members of the WAHG who conducted interviews were given training, followed a standard question sheet and were asked not to offer any opinions. This was implemented rigorously to control bias in the results. Appendix VI is a copy of the report from a Parish Councillor who attended two of the interviews as an observer.

Appendix IV is a copy of the interview form Appendix V is the Community Land Trust leaflet Appendix VI Report on Interviews

6. Public Comments and site suggestions

6.1 Although the questionnaire did not specifically ask for comments on affordable housing, a number of respondents added separate textual observations to support their choice of answer (yes or no) to question 9, ‘ Would you be in favour of a small development of affordable housing for local people within your parish if there were a proven need?’

6.2 A number of people responded to question 10 which asked ‘Can you suggest a site where a small development could be built?’

Appendix VII contains a verbatim transcript of these comments.

13 7. Conclusions

7.1 The parish of Wickham comprises 1773 properties and according to the Hampshire County population forecasts for 2007, 4172 people live in the parish. Any housing development in the village may require an assessment of the facilities available at present and possible improvements to infrastructure and amenities. Currently the village is served by a number of shops and a post office, a primary school, a number of public houses and a church. It has a children’s playground and playing fields. Public transport services to the neighbouring town are at least hourly.

7.2 Though most households are satisfied with their housing situation, 68 households have indicated a need for housing or re-housing by completing part 2 of the questionnaire.

7.3 7 households would be eligible and able to afford a Community Land Trust home on a shared equity basis and 6 households an intermediate rented home..

7.4 The unmet need may be a product of a low turnover of relatively large expensive open market housing in the parish which excludes those local people on lower incomes from gaining access to this market should they wish to stay in the parish. 72% of households in need have average gross incomes of less than £20,000 (the national average is £25,000) which represents a serious problem in an area of high property values. In addition there is a low turnover and inadequate supply of affordable social housing to meet the need.

7.5 There is a good overall level of support from the local community to satisfy this need for affordable housing for local people in the parish.

7.6 The size of any future affordable housing scheme may be assessed against the following factors:  To provide a scheme to meet all the need indicated may have too big an impact on the village, both visually and in terms of services, facilities and infrastructure. In any case, some of the households in need will be able to meet their needs through turnover on the open market  A more realistic target would be to meet the needs of the households that would like to rent from a housing association or purchase on a shared ownership basis: 37 households.  Based on the preferences expressed and the financial information provided, a mix of rented and shared ownership homes may be appropriate, with the majority being for rent.  The mix of unit size should be established based on the need indicated within the survey and on the Winchester Joint Housing Register

14  A small number of homes available on a shared equity basis through a Community Land Trust could be provided

7.7 It should also be remembered that a housing needs survey is only a snapshot of need at any one time and while the scale of need is not likely to change, by the time any possible future scheme is likely to be achieved, the mix and size of units would need to be cross-referenced with the Winchester Joint Housing Register to show emerging need with a local connection at that time.

8. Recommendations

8.1 That the Parish Council considers advancing the process to achieve an additional scheme/s of affordable housing

1. to support the development of a scheme of 25 – 30 homes or two schemes totalling this number to meet the needs of those requiring affordable social housing. 2. to work with the Wickham Affordable Housing Group to support the development of 8 homes provided through the Community Land Trust model 3. to commence discussions with the other parties involved in the provision of rural affordable housing. 4. to explore the location and availability of any sites which the Parish Council may think appropriate

8.2 That the Parish Council makes the findings of the report available to the local community

Debbie Rhodes Rural Housing Enabler October 2007

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