South Housing Market Area Assesment

The West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) have defined 4 sub-regional housing markets, and expect each of these to identify local housing markets and differentiate between them for the purposes of applying appropriate policies and investment priorities.

The South Housing Market Area comprises the 6 districts of Worcestershire and the 2 districts of South Warwickshire (Stratford upon Avon and Warwick).  Within this area the Project Management Team have adopted the framework of 10 Local Housing Markets

The South Housing Market Partnership has adopted what is believed to be a unique approach to carrying out a sub-regional Strategic Housing Market Assessment that is fully in accordance with the Government’s draft replacement guidance (December 2005) and Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) Housing (November 2006).  

In addition to pooling the resources of 8 district councils across 2 counties, and a number of RSLs, it has engaged the services of the Worcestershire County Council Research team that was already undertaking much of the research and technical background work for the partial review of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy.  Working Groups have also been established to look at specific areas of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs, and the needs of other minority groups including those in need of supported housing.

1.2 The Assessment Objectives:

• Analyse trends and survey data to produce a detailed understanding of the local housing markets and affordability issues within the sub region.
• Enable the development of both short-medium and long-term strategic views on the need and demand for both market and affordable housing in these areas.
• Enable comparison of the trends identified from the analysis of data with the outcomes proposed in draft policy in order to further inform both the regional housing and planning policy debate.
• Provide evidence to support policies in Local Development Frameworks on the different types and sizes of housing needed to enable the development of balanced communities within the market area (and any sub areas) and by local authority area and any sub areas.
• Inform decisions on the amount and mix of housing to be provided in different parts of the sub-region.
• Inform decisions on how housing need translates into different sizes and types of affordable housing (i.e. social rented and intermediate housing) to aid policy formulation.
• Identify, as far as is possible, the accommodation needs of particular groups (e.g. key workers, homeless households, gypsies and travellers, black and minority ethnic groups, people with learning difficulties, first time buyers, students, disabled people, older people,etc )
• Back up a variety of decisions on matters including social housing allocation priorities, private sector renewal options and the evaluation of new-build low cost home ownership. It may also contribute to the development of housing policies on the quality of housing including stock conversion, demolition and transfer in areas where the type and quality of housing is inadequate.
• Assess the linkages between the housing market and the local economy, including the influence of the investment market.
• Identify the factors needed to create balanced housing markets and sustainable communities, and help to inform the provision of services such as education and transport.
• Enable the development of local expertise and develop a toolkit or methodology to enable regular updates of information so that stakeholders can maintain the data base without recourse to new primary surveys.
• Provide the information in a format that will enable it to be shared and disseminated to a wide range of interested parties (e.g. Local community partnerships, Town and Parish Councils, estate agents, Housing Associations).

Related Documents

A Strategic Housing Market Assessment For The South Housing Market Area Of the West Midlands Region  (544.56 KB)
A Strategic Housing Market Assessment For The South Housing Market Area Of the West Midlands Region - Appendix  (2.69 MB)
A Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment  (196.32 KB)
Estimating Future (Newly Arising) Housing Need  (333.54 KB)
Map-of-LHMA  (248.64 KB)
Post consultation Appendices  (342.88 KB)