favour of smaller dwellings to address mis-alignment issues. bedrooms. This is supported by demand data which suggests that, while there is strong demand for homes of all scales at county level, within the rural parts of the LHMA there is substantially less demand for AH of four bedrooms and above. As set out above, there is negligable demand for flats in the plan area; development should therefore offer 1,2 and 3 bed houses. Family-sized housing HLHMA, Local Agent Survey New housing should concentrate on housing families can both use and afford. Given only a minority of people can afford family housing in the plan area, it is imperative future development supplies housing suited to a family’s needs, but of a type and size they can afford. The ratio of dwellings sold to people outside the area supports the idea of a local needs policy applied to new AH. Housing for independent living for older people Census, HLHMA Life-time homes policies should be considered The age structure, how it has changed over time, and the composition of households, suggest a need for ‘life-time homes’ style development. This will help ensure there is adequate housing stock for people to downsize into, combined with a wide range of accommodation suited to family use. Specialist housing Census Not suitable location for provision of specialist housing The population size within the plan area does not support the delivery of specialist housing beyond general housing suited to the needs of the older resident. Within the LHMA, Leominster is the most appropriate location for such housing. Tenure of housing More households likely to fall into need as a result of increasing house prices PRS should be encouraged given the role it plays in providing AH and allowing people to remain in the area. House price increases are likely to have outstripped real wage increases, placing greater pressure on people's ability to afford housing. The widespread take-up of PRS suggests a latent demand for discounted market housing and shared ownership products. New development could include (BTR); this is housing delivered by specialist developers designed to be occupied specifically by renters, and
Factor Source(s) (see Chapter 4) Possible impact on housing needed Conclusion Affordable Housing Census, HLHMA Assertive approach to securing high levels of AH Development of intermediate housing as a type of AH There is a very small quantity of social housing, which means private rented accommodation shoulders the bulk of the AH burden. The result of viability analysis shows different viability levels between urban and rural areas within the LHMA; this should encourage an assertive attitude on the part of the parish council in seeking AH as part of development projects, as well as other initiatives, such as AH exception sites Given the development of intermediate housing as a type of AH, for example the entry of discounted market housing for rent and purchase into the lexicon of ‘affordable housing,’ these types should form a substantial part of AH provision. Within rural areas of the LHMA, evidence supports provision of AH in the following ratios: intermediate housing, 32%, affordable rent 15% and social rent 53%. Demand/need for smaller dwellings Census, Local Agents Survey, HLHMA. Smaller homes needed to facilitate down-sizing 1, 2 and 3 bed homes should be priority for families and first-time buyers. There is a preponderance of large homes, creating a 'top heavy' profile in the current housing stock; this, and other evidence, suggests an under-supply of smaller homes. Local agents report both high demand for three bed properties and an under-supply of these sizes of homes. Within rural parts of the LHMA there is strong demand for small homes, but not flats, suggesting a mixed typology of dwellings would be approporate in future development, offering one, two and three bedroom homes with a very small number of larger family dwellings. Demographic Change Census, LHRSU (2012) Very substantial increase in older residents is forecast over the plan period While the population of the parish is too small to warrant specialist housing for the elderly, policy that supports general housing suited to their needs is appropriate Dwelling size Census, HLHMA. No further development of larger homes to rebalance stock in The preponderance of larger homes in the area suggests that policy should not seek the delivery of homes of four or more