Wyre Forest District Council Housing Need Assessment
Client
Brief
The Wyre Forest District Housing Need Study (HNS) 2018 provides the latest available evidence to help to shape the future planning and housing policies of the area. This study updates the 2017 Objectively Assessed Housing Needs (OAHN) study and reflects up-to-date policy and guidance. This updated study aims to help inform the production of the Council’s Local Plan and other strategies.
The 2018 HNS study includes a review of the housing market, an assessment of future
need, the identification of the housing needs of specific groups and a consideration of
the requirement for affordable housing. It provides an up-to-date analysis of the social, economic, housing and demographic situation across the area.
What we did
To deliver the Wyre Forest District HNS 2018, a multi-method approach has been adopted, which comprises:
- A review of relevant secondary data including the 2011 Census, house price trends, 2016 ONS sub-national population projections and 2014 ONS household projections, CORE lettings data and DHCLG Statistics;
- Interviews with estate and letting agents operating within the District; and
- An online survey of stakeholders;
The Result
The findings from the study equip the Council and their partners with robust, defensible and transparent information to help inform strategic decision-making and the formulation of appropriate housing and planning policies. The Wyre Forest HNS 2018 will help the Council plan for a mix of housing based on current and future demographic trends, market trends and the needs of different groups in the community.
The evidence presented in this Housing Needs Study suggests that there are three main policy areas that require particular attention from both a planning and housing policy perspective:
- the challenge of enabling the quantity and mix of housing that needs to be delivered;
- the challenge of ensuring that the housing and support needs of older people are met going forward; and
- ensuring that new development takes account of the particular needs across housing market sub-areas within Wyre Forest.