A Tour of Rural Exception Sites in

Tuesday 3 July 2018

This year’s tour of rural exception sites in Cambridgeshire provides an opportunity to explore a cluster of recent schemes around the border of South Cambridgeshire and . Delegates will be able to meet and quiz the Housing Association and Local Authority staff involved in developing the schemes.

Our 2018 tour is probably our most ambitious yet. We’ll be taking in a green field site recently granted planning permission and a second site where construction activity has only recently commenced. These should give an idea of scale to help illustrate the space needed when trying to identify potential sites. We’ll also be visiting a recently completed scheme where we hope to have access to one of the properties. In addition, there will be a further four schemes recently completed.

Delegates enjoying the sunshine and admiring the view on our 2017 Myth Buster Tour

The Myth Buster Tour has been organised on behalf of the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership. This partnership has a simple, single purpose: to deliver affordable homes in rural communities for local people. The partnership is facilitated by Cambridgeshire ACRE and includes the following partners:  East Cambridgeshire District Council  Cambridge Housing Society  Fenland District Council  Cross Keys Homes  Huntingdonshire District Council  Hastoe Housing Association  South Cambridgeshire District Council  Longhurst Group  Accent Nene  Luminus  Bpha

This tour has been organised to coincide with Rural Housing Week, 2-6 July 2018

Wiggs Close, Warboys,

Huntingdonshire

Wiggs Close is a scheme comprising 19 dwellings on the western edge of Warboys, on the road to Ramsey.

The Housing Needs Survey identified 53 households with a potential need for affordable housing in Warboys. There was also strong support for the principle of affordable housing for local people with 75 per cent of respondents in favour. (The survey also included Pidley parish.)

Key scheme statistics

Rented Shared Ownership 1 bed house 4 2 bed bungalow 4 2 bed house 4 2 3 bed house 3 1 4 bed house 1

Total 16 3 Warboys is a well-served village with facilities including a primary school and GP practice, pubs and a number of shops.

Key dates

Housing Needs Survey Feb-2010 Planning permission granted Jan-2015 Start on site Jan-2016 Completed Oct-2016

Home Close, Swavesey, South Cambridgeshire

Home Close is a development of 20 houses on the outskirts of the village on the north side of Fen Drayton Road. Swavesey has a population of around 2,643. Facilities in the village include a primary and secondary school.

The Housing Needs Survey identified 69 households in potential need of affordable housing in Swavesey. The survey also identified support for the principle of affordable housing for local people. Fifty seven per cent were in favour and 18 per cent opposed.

Key dates Key scheme statistics Housing Needs Survey Mar-2009 Rented Planning permission granted Dec-2014 1 bed house 4 Start on site Aug-2015 2 bed house 10 Completed May-2016 3 bed house 5 4 bed house 1 Total 20 The scheme is owned by South Cambridgeshire District Council and was built as part of the council’s New Build Strategy, and was completed as the Council’s first exception site.

South Cambridgeshire District Council worked closely with Swavesey Parish Council throughout the development of the scheme.

The site was subject to an ecology survey which resulted in a Newt habitat being constructed.

Station Road, Willingham, Key scheme statistics South Cambridgeshire Rented Shared Ownership 1 bed flat 4 2 bed bungalow 4 2 bed house 2 3 3 bed house 9 Total 10 12

This Cross Keys Homes (CKH) development will bring 22 new homes available for affordable rent and shared ownership to Willingham. The scheme has only recently started on site.

CKH secured £525,000 in funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and a £206,000 grant from Homes to deliver the highest number of affordable homes possible.

Willingham is a large village with a population of over 4,000. It has an excellent range of facilities including a primary school and medical practice together with a range of shops, pubs and recreational facilities.

Key dates Working closely with South Cambridgeshire Housing Needs Survey Nov-2015 District Council, CKH submitted plans to Planning granted Mar-2018 provide one, two and three bedroom homes Start on site Spring-2018 during 2017. The scheme addresses need Completion Jun-2019 identified in a Housing Needs Survey undertaken in 2015. The survey identified 82 households in need with a connection to Willingham. Planning permission was granted in early 2018.

Daniels End, Willingham, The planning application was submitted without a Housing Needs Survey. At the time South Cambridgeshire the Housing Register identified 66 households with a local connection to Willingham. The scheme mix was agreed with the Housing Development Officer.

A Housing Needs Survey was undertaken in Daniels End comprises of 12 dwellings on the November 2015. This confirmed that need northern edge of Willingham. The scheme is had grown (82 households). accessed through a previous affordable housing development.

Willingham is a large village with a population Key scheme statistics of over 4,000. It has an excellent range of facilities including a primary school and Rented Shared medical practice together with a range of Ownership shops, pubs and recreational facilities. 1 bed maisonette 2 2 bed house 4 4 3 bed house 2 Total 6 6

The site was originally purchased from a private landowner. The scheme was developed by AJ Lee (Developments) and taken over by Cambridge & County Developments on behalf of the CHS Group.

The scheme had a planning agreement in place to ensure that the properties remain Key dates available for affordable rent and shared Housing Needs Survey Nov-2015 ownership in perpetuity despite Willingham Planning permission granted Jan-2016 being too large to be classed a Designated Start on site Sep-2016 Rural Area. Completed Mar-2017

Parish Key Comparative Data

Warboys Bluntisham Colne Population & Dwellings1: Population 3,980 1,980 1,580 910 Dwellings 1,710 780 670 370 Structure2: % pop aged 0-19 24 25 22 24 % pop aged 65+ 15 15 15 17 % dwellings ≤ 2 beds 27 16 18 11 % dwellings ≥ 4 beds 31 49 34 42 % owner occupation 72 84 83 87 % social rented 15 9 6 5 House prices3 & rental values4: 2 bed house- sale £159,000 £212,500 £212,500 £176,750 3 bed house – sale £191,125 £242,000 £242,000 £210,000 4 bed house - sale £286,875 £325,000 £325,000 £286,500 1 bed property – rent n/a £129 £129 £121 2 bed property – rent £144 £173 £173 £162 3 bed property - rent £172 £190 £190 £183 Housing Development: Dwellings completed (net)5 84 32 27 56 Dwelling commitments6 166 3 16 3 Affordable housing demand7: Want to live in this parish 76 63 57 42 (excl those choosing whole District) Properties advertised for rent 80 9 11 8 Average bids per property 28.3 40.7 26.0 35.6

1 ‘Cambridgeshire Population and Dwelling Stock Estimates: mid 2015’, Cambridgeshire County Council 2 ‘Census of Population, 2011’ ( Tables KS103EW, QS405EW, QS411EW), Office for National Statistics 3 Hometrack Housing Intelligence System. Ward level - Lower quartile prices, November2017 to April 2018 4 Hometrack Housing Intelligence System. Ward level – 30th percentile median weekly rents May 2017 to April 2018 5 ‘Table H1.2 Dwellings completed (NET) by Parish in Cambridgeshire (2002-2016)’, Cambridgeshire County Council (undated) 6 ‘Table H2.2 Dwelling Commitments by Ward/Parish in Cambridgeshire (2002-2016)’, Cambridgeshire County Council (undated) 7 ‘Housing need register applicants parish preference, social rented lettings and bidding behaviour’ (January 2008 –December 2013), Homelink, 2016

Parish Key Comparative Data

Swavesey Willingham HDC SCDC Population & Dwellings8: Population 2,520 4,100 176,050 154,660 Dwellings 1,020 1,740 74,080 64,560 Structure9: % pop aged 0-19 26 25 24 24 % pop aged 65+ 14 13 16 17 % dwellings ≤ 2 beds 32 27 28 30 % dwellings ≥ 4 beds 38 35 29 34 % owner occupation 77 73 71 71 % social rented 8 15 13 14 House prices10 & rental values11: 2 bed house- sale £241,250 £237,500 £174,500 £238,500 3 bed house – sale £272,500 £275,000 £215,000 £299,988 4 bed house - sale £335,500 £387,500 £306,750 £419,915 1 bed property – rent £150 £157 £126 £150 2 bed property – rent £183 £168 £160 £196 3 bed property - rent n/a £199 £190 £229 Housing Development: Dwellings completed (net)12 54 287 9,398 10,529 Dwelling commitments13 18 100 9,229 29,916 Affordable housing demand14: Want to live in this parish 65 72 n/a n/a Properties advertised for rent 20 83 n/a n/a Average bids per property 46.6 50.8 n/a n/a

8 ‘Cambridgeshire Population and Dwelling Stock Estimates: mid 2015’, Cambridgeshire County Council 9 ‘Census of Population, 2011’ ( Tables KS103EW, QS405EW, QS411EW), Office for National Statistics 10 Hometrack Housing Intelligence System. Ward level - Lower quartile prices, November2017 to April 2018 11 Hometrack Housing Intelligence System. Ward level – 30th percentile median weekly rents May 2017 to April 2018 12 ‘Table H1.2 Dwellings completed (NET) by Parish in Cambridgeshire (2002-2016)’, Cambridgeshire County Council (undated) 13 ‘Table H2.2 Dwelling Commitments by Ward/Parish in Cambridgeshire (2002-2016)’, Cambridgeshire County Council (undated) 14 ‘Housing need register applicants parish preference, social rented lettings and bidding behaviour’ (January 2008 –December 2013), Homelink, 2016

The Paddocks, Earith, Huntingdonshire The Housing Needs Survey identified 12 households in potential need of affordable housing. The survey also identified strong community support for the principle of affordable housing for local people. Sixty- eight per cent were in favour and 17 per cent opposed. The Paddocks is a development of 11 dwellings on the eastern edge of Earith. The scheme is accessed from Hermitage Road

Earith has a population of about 1,600 Key scheme statistics residents living in 650 dwellings. Facilities in the village include a primary school, shop and Rented Shared pub. Ownership 1 bed bungalow 2 2 bed bungalow 1 1 2 bed house 1 4 3 bed house 2 Total 6 5

The site was owned by Huntingdonshire District Council. It was tendered to a range of Housing Associations in March 2014 and was secured by bpha.

Prior to commencement of the building works bpha worked closely with the parish council, Key dates planners and local residents to inform the approved scheme designs. The Scheme was Housing Needs Survey Mar-2013 prepared by The Design Partnership. Planning permission granted Jan-2016 Start on site May-2016 This site was subject to archaeological and Completed May-2017 environmental surveys, resulting in the requirement for specialist badger fencing to the external boundaries.

Wood End, Bluntisham, Huntingdonshire

The chosen site was subject to extensive pre- application and public consultation with planning permission, subject to a s106

agreement, finally being approved in June This rural exception site is one of the first to 2018. Works should start later this year. utilise the new rural exception site policy in the emerging Huntingdonshire DC Local Plan. The new policy requires at least 60 per cent of the site to be used for affordable housing.

The Housing Needs Survey identified 14 No viability assessment is required to households in potential need of affordable demonstrate the need for cross-subsidy from housing. A majority (69%) of respondents the market housing. The policy is designed to supported the principle of a rural exception incentivise landowners to bring forward more site for Bluntisham. However, it took several sites as there is a potentially greater return. years to identify a suitable site that was available. The scheme is being developed by Hastoe in partnership with Rose Homes. Key dates

Key scheme statistics Housing Needs Survey Dec-2012 Planning permission granted Jun-2018 Rented Shared Market Start on site tbc Ownership Completed tbc 1 bed 2 house Bluntisham has a population of about 2,000 2 bed 1 people living in 800 dwellings. The village bungalow retains a number of services including a 2 bed 3 1 house primary school, two churches, a pub and a 3 bed 3 1 6 shop. The village has also recently developed house an impressive new village hall which also acts 4 bed 3 as a pavilion for local sports clubs. house Total 9 2 9

Bluntisham Road, Colne, The Housing Needs Survey identified 13 households in potential need of affordable Huntingdonshire housing. It also found 64 per cent of respondents in support of the principle of a rural exception site for Colne.

This rural exception site off Bluntisham Road, Colne will include ten affordable homes and two market homes for sale when completed. A viability assessment demonstrated the need for two market homes to make the scheme viable.

The landowner also agreed to gift the adjoining land to the Parish Council for amenity use. Additional public consultation attracted further comment. Seventy three people attended an exhibition of the proposals. As a result, further modifications to the designs were made and a speed survey undertaken (which also led to small amendments such as a footpath to the front of the site).

The scheme is nearing completion and we hope to go inside one of the houses for a look around on the tour.

Key scheme statistics Colne has a population of about 850 residents Rented Shared Market living in 350 dwellings. The village retains a Ownership pub, church and village hall but most services 1 bed 2 are accessed outside of the parish. house 2 bed 2 3 Key dates house 3 bed 3 Housing Needs Survey Dec-2012 house Planning permission granted Aug-2016 4 bed 2 Start on site Mar-2017 house Completed Under Total 7 3 2 construction

Notes

ITINERARY

09:20 Arrive at Warboys Parish Centre for coffee and introductions

09:50 Coach departs

10:00 Wiggs Close, Warboys

10:45 Home Close, Swavesey

11:20 Station Road, Willingham

11:30 Daniels End, Willingham

12:00 The Paddocks, Earith

12:20 Wood End, Bluntisham

12:35 Bluntisham Road, Colne

13:15 Return to Warboys Parish Centre for lunch

14:00 Depart

Please note all timings are approximate. We have allowed 15 minutes at each scheme. We don’t plan to get off the coach at Station Road, Willingham.

This event has been organised by Cambridgeshire ACRE and the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership as part of the National Housing Federation’s Rural Housing Week. We offer our thanks to Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council for their help in planning the event.