Longbridge Area Action Plan: Baseline studies Housing Report 1 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report 2 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report Section Contents Page 1.0 Introduction 5 1.1 Purpose of this Report 1.2 Background 1.3 Aims and Objectives 1.4 Data Limitations 1.5 Structure of Report 2.0 The Policy Context 7 2.1 National Priorities 2.2 Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) Housing 2.3 Regional Spatial Strategy for the West Midlands 2.4 West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy 2.5 Worcestershire County Structure Plan 2.6 Birmingham Unitary Development Plan 2.7 Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2.8 SPG10: Managing Housing Supply in Bromsgrove District 2.9 Birmingham’s Housing Plan 2008+ Birmingham’s Housing Development Plan 2.10 Bromsgrove’s Housing Strategy 2006 - 2011 2.11 Birmingham’s Growth Agenda 2.12 Section Conclusions 3.0 Housing Market Conditions 17 3.1 Section Introduction 3.2 Housing Stock and Property Type 3.3 Housing Tenure 3.4 Stock Condition and Environment 3.5 Household Type 3.6 Overcrowding and Density 3.7 Population Characteristics 3.8 Section Conclusions 4.0 Housing Market Assessment 27 4.1 Section Introduction 4.2 Current Housing Provision 4.3 Land Allocated within the Study Area 4.4 Pipeline Stock and Emerging Proposals 4.5 Empty Properties 4.6 Tenancy Turnover 4.7 House Prices 4.8 Affordability 4.9 Housing Need 4.10 Other Drivers Impacting on Housing Demand 4.11 Gaps in Housing Information 4.12 Section Conclusions 5.0 Key Housing Issues and Area Action Plan Potential 35 5.1 Section Introduction 5.2 Striking a Balance: Housing Growth and Employment Space 5.3 Ensuring Deliverability 5.4 Birmingham’s Anticipated Population and Household Growth 5.5 Cross-Boundary Issues 5.6 Broad Type and Range of Housing 5.7 Affordable Housing 5.8 Sustainability 5.9 Good Quality Design and Place-Making 5.10 Potential Housing Numbers and Location 5.11 Neighbourhood Management References 39 Appendix 1 – The AAP Area and Surrounding Neighbourhoods 41 Appendix 2 – Central Government Policy and Guidance 43 Appendix 3 – Local Strategies 45 Appendix 4 – Key Pipeline Stock and Emerging Proposals 49 3 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report 4 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of this Report The purpose of this report is to provide background information and analysis of housing issues within the Longbridge area that will provide an evidence base to assist the preparation of the Longbridge Area Action Plan (AAP). 1.2 Background Birmingham City Council (BCC) and Bromsgrove District Council (BDC) have produced this report to assist the production of the AAP covering the former MG Rover car plant at Longbridge. BCC and BDC are working closely with various partners including Worcestershire County Council, the principal landowners St Modwen PLC and Advantage West Midlands (AWM), as well as a range of other stakeholders and members of the local community, in order to bring about a new plan to guide the future regeneration of the Longbridge area. This report has been prepared in line with a study brief issued by BCC and BDC and agreed to by key stakeholders participating in preparing the AAP. The AAP is a type of Development Plan Document prepared under the new planning system that was introduced in 2004. It is a statutory land use plan to guide new development in areas of significant change, and will aim to stimulate regeneration and development and resolve conflicting objectives. The AAP should be based on a robust analysis of the area’s strengths and weaknesses and realistically assess its future prospects, including the type and distribution of land uses on the site. The aim of the Longbridge AAP is to guide the redevelopment of the former MG Rover car plant site and adjoining land. The site has an area of approximately 140 hectares, covering the whole of the former MG Rover plant that straddles the BCC and BDC boundary. The site represents possibly the largest development opportunity in the Birmingham city region for many years. The closure of MG Rover, with the loss of 6000 jobs, has had a major effect on the area. The aim of the AAP is therefore to ensure that the strategic redevelopment of the site is employment led but also provides the social and environmental revitalisation of South West Birmingham and North Worcestershire. This report is one of a series of baseline studies which are being prepared as part of the AAP to help understand existing constraints and opportunities. 1.3 Aims and Objectives The aims and objectives of this report are to: • set the context for housing through outlining relevant policies and strategies; • outline housing market conditions; • identify the key facets of the housing market in Longbridge and surrounding areas including evaluating housing land supply and demand; • determine and assess the key housing issues facing Longbridge and consider implications for the AAP; and • outline where additional research and analysis is required to address information gaps. 1.4 Data Limitations For this study, the principal data limitations are: • Increasingly dated material – 2001 Census material is used in elements of the report and may not give a true reflection of the current situation. • Collected data often just provides a simple ‘snapshot’ in time and may not be of assistance in understanding longer- term trends. • The study area is not based upon exact ward, output or super output area boundaries and therefore there are issues associated with ‘data fit’. 5 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report • The study area straddles the administrative boundary of BCC and BDC with each authority holding different quantities and types of local housing data. 1.5 Structure of Report The structure of the remainder of the report is as follows: • Policy Context (section 2) • Housing Market Conditions (section 3) • Housing Market Assessment (section 4) • Key Housing Issues and Area Action Plan Potential (section 5) 6 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report 2.0 THE POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 National Priorities There are various strands of Central Government strategy and thinking, which provides a broad policy context to housing policy in England (Appendix 1 ). The key headlines from this work are: • Establishing an appropriate flexible range and mix of housing, both market and affordable to meet the needs and demands of a variety of households now and into the future. • Urban renaissance – developing major urban areas in such a way that they can increasingly meet their own economic and social needs – countering the unsustainable outward movement of people and jobs. Tackling climate change – providing high quality sustainable housing in areas, which assist in reducing the need to travel and improving accessibility to more sustainable modes of travel. Building upon the importance of sustainable housing, in April 2007, the Code for Sustainable Homes replaced Ecohomes for the environmental assessment of new housing in England. The Code contains mandatory environmental performance levels in 6 key areas: energy efficiency / CO2, water efficiency, surface water management, site waste management, household waste management and use of materials. 2.2 Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) Housing Detailed national planning guidance concerning the provision of housing is set out in Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3). The Government’s key housing policy goal is ‘to ensure that everyone has the opportunity of living in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community where they want to live. To achieve this, the Government is seeking: • To achieve a wide choice of high quality homes, both affordable and market housing, to address the requirements of the community – this needs to be under-pinned by a collaborative and evidence-based policy approach, reflecting the principles of ‘Plan, Monitor, and Manage’. • To widen opportunities for home ownership and ensure high quality housing for those who cannot afford market housing, in particular those who are vulnerable or in need. • To improve affordability across the housing market, including by increasing the supply of housing – a key focus for the supply of housing being the presumption that brownfield sites should be developed before Greenfield. A national target of 60% has been set for the development of new housing on previously developed land. • To create sustainable, inclusive, mixed communities in all areas, both urban and rural – this includes a requirement to ensure the efficient use of land, including building at higher densities and allocating housing in the most sustainable locations (i.e. good access to public transport and which reduce the need for people to travel to work, shops and services. At a local level, PPS3 mentions the need for local development documents to identify broad locations and specific sites that will enable continuous delivery of housing for at least 15 years from the date of adoption. In addition, PPS3 highlights the need to identify a sufficient level of deliverable sites for housing over the first five years of a development plan document. Local planning authorities are also tasked with identifying a further supply of specific, developable sites for years 6-10 and, where possible, for years 11-15. The monitoring of deliverable sites need to be reviewed on an annual basis. 7 Longbridge AAP: Housing Baseline Report 2.3 Regional Spatial Strategy for the West Midlands The full West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (formerly RPG 11) was published by the ODPM in June 2004. The strategy incorporates the Regional Transport Strategy and sets out the spatial strategy for the West Midlands up to 2021. The metropolitan area of Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and the Black Country is seen as the major economic driver for the region and source of employment opportunities. While noting this, previous research into the region’s housing markets (CURS, 2001) indicated that substantial parts of the Major Urban Areas (MUAs) failed to provide the attractive choice of home and community environments needed to encourage active and independent households to stay.