An Assessment of Housing Needs for Eastleigh Borough 2011-2036

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY AND PROPOSALS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE ADVERT ARE TO BE SUBMITTED BY 14TH OCT. PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s Local Plan team is looking to appoint suitably qualified consultants to produce a robust assessment of housing needs which will inform the development of the Local Plan 2011-2036. The Council prepared a Local Plan to cover the period 2011-2029, however this plan was not supported by the Planning Inspectorate, and the Inspector’s Report was critical of the Council’s approach to addressing the affordable housing needs of the borough. An assessment of housing needs is required to inform the Council’s approach to both the Local Plan and housing issues.

Eastleigh BC has previously commissioned a review of housing needs in Eastleigh Borough, based on the most recent demographic evidence of projected housing need for the Borough. This advice was informed by a sub-regional Strategic Housing Market Assessment, a comprehensive piece of work looking at housing needs across the Southampton housing market area (and the rest of the sub-region). The new commission will build on that work and identify the needs for specialist housing, including affordable housing, and the needs of different groups in the community, such as but not limited to families with children, older persons, people with disabilities, and people wishing to build their own homes’. Starter homes aimed at first time buyers should be added to this list. Following identification of those needs, consideration should be given to any particular sensitivities regarding the assessed Objectively Assessed Housing Need (OAHN) for the Borough.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s Local Plan therefore needs to ensure that the OAHN is appropriate considering the Borough’s demographic characteristics and existing provision, including affordable housing offer. This includes ensuring that the determination of the OAHN properly considers the role of affordable housing need in influencing the extent of uplift to demographic and economic projections required. As assessment of housing needs will enable the team to understand any areas where the plan-making authority might be vulnerable to challenge in relation to Eastleigh borough’s affordable housing challenge.

The Council is also undertaking a review of its affordable housing strategy, providing the opportunity to ensure that the Local Plan and Housing strategy are aligned. Therefore another key deliverable will be the identification of appropriate policy recommendations for inclusion in the emerging housing strategy.