Housing Study for County Published

Michelle writes: A major new study revealing the housing needs of North Yorkshire and York for the next five years has been published. I will try to find out some more specific information on Harrogate to post here.

It looks at all aspects of housing – including affordable housing, housing for older people and supported housing for vulnerable people as well as the ‘open’ housing market of homes for sale and rent.  And it says that almost 3000 affordable homes a year are needed across the county to meet the needs of people unable to buy or rent a home on the open market.

The first ever North Yorkshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment commissioned by the North Yorkshire Strategic Housing Partnership, will now be used to help shape housing policies across the county. The findings will support each authority’s Local Development Framework – the development plan for each area used to guide future housing developments.

The report also confirms the challenges for providing homes for the area’s ageing population – with older people living in large family homes finding it difficult to downsize. And it highlights that many young families are struggling to enter the housing market.

“Housing markets and communities’ housing aspirations don’t follow local Council boundaries,” said Councillor Richard Foster, Chair of the Local Government North Yorkshire and York Housing Board.

“This study will help us to understand what type of housing North Yorkshire people require now and in the future, so we can plan properly to meet that need. We will use the research findings to make sure that we get our housing plans and planning decisions in our local areas right.”

The study incorporates the findings of a survey of householders in Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough, York and the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. A lighter touch review was undertaken in Selby since it only undertook its own detailed study in 2009.

It shows the following key points:

• if North Yorkshire is to meet the needs of all households which cannot afford to buy or privately rent it would need to deliver 2808 affordable homes a year for the next five years
• there is a shortfall of smaller one and two bedroom homes – and larger four or more bedroom properties
• average house prices in the rural areas are £250,000 - £40,000 more than the county average
• affordability is a big issue for people living in the rural areas
• high house prices continue to make it difficult for households with lower incomes to buy a home in the county making the role of the private housing market important
• almost 40% of older people said they wanted to downsize
• the private rented sector is an important source of housing for young single people
• the population is expected to grow increasingly older – especially in the numbers of single and couple households
• it is expected that a greater number of households will have support needs over the longer term, mostly because people are living to a greater age
• the county’s population has risen by 5.7% since 2001 with York, Selby and Harrogate having the highest levels of household growth