Goudhurst and Kilndown Parish Council

GOUDHURST PARISH COUNCIL
Local Government for Goudhurst and Kilndown

Results of the Housing Needs Survey
The housing needs survey was delivered to every household in Goudhurst parish in October/November 2005. The purpose of the survey was to find out if there is a need for a local needs housing scheme in our parish and to give an indication of whether other types of accommodation are also needed.

The Rural Housing Enabler from Action with Communities in Rural Kent carried out the analysis to ensure an independent interpretation of the results. The survey forms were colour coded to allow returns from the villages of Goudhurst and Kilndown to be analysed separately as well as gaining an understanding of the housing needs of the parish as a whole.

Please find below a summary of the main findings of the survey.

Response rate
A 17% response rate was achieved (16.3% from Goudhurst and 17.3 % from Kilndown)

The survey represented a total of 516 people

Type and size of homes in the parish
The survey indicates that 80% of respondents are owner occupiers. (The 2001 census shows higher levels of rented accommodation in the parish with 15% social rent and 16% private rent/other tenure).

The survey indicates that 73% of homes in the parish have 3 or more bedrooms

Length of residency in the parish
66% of respondents have lived in the parish for 11 or more years (65% from Goudhurst and 67% from Kilndown).

34% of respondents have lived in the parish for more than 26 years (36% from Goudhurst and 28% from Kilndown)

Reasons why family members have left the parish
54% of respondents have had family members leave the parish in the last few years, this represented a total of 94 people.

The most frequently given reason for leaving was employment

16 respondents indicated that family members would return if cheaper accommodation could be provided.

Support for a development to meet local needs
Respondents indicated a high level of support with 89% supporting a development to meet local housing needs (88% from Goudhurst and 92% from Kilndown).

Comments about the housing needs of the parish
Comments from respondents’ in both Goudhurst and Kilndown acknowledge that more affordable housing is needed for local people, both younger people and older people. A need for smaller/starter homes is expressed by some respondents.

Some respondents commented that any further housing development should be accompanied by improved amenities and public transport.

Housing need
In total 52 households completed section 2 of the survey form, indicating they have a housing need.

These respondents were assessed to see if they would be eligible for local needs housing - that is they have a connection to the parish, they wish to remain living in the parish and are unable to afford suitable accommodation, in the parish, to either rent or buy on the open market.

30 households meet the above criteria (19 households from Goudhurst and 11 households from Kilndown)

13 x single people (11 from Goudhurst and 2 from Kilndown)
8 x couples (3 from Goudhurst and 5 from Kilndown)
9 x families (5 from Goudhurst and 4 from Kilndown)

The families have 18 children in total

28 of the 30 households are currently living in the parish

Only 7 of the 30 households are currently registered on the Borough Councils housing register

13 households completing section 2 of the survey wish to remain living in Goudhurst and have differing housing needs;
7 households seeking smaller accommodation on the open market
3 households seeking care at home
3 households seeking warden assisted or residential accommodation

Recommendation
A formula of need being 2 to 3 times greater than number of properties that maybe be built is used to calculate how many homes would meet existing and future affordable housing need in the parish.

In Goudhurst up to 15 homes for local people are required to meet existing and future affordable housing needs in the parish.

The survey also highlighted a need for consideration to be given to future open market developments to provide smaller accommodation for those wishing to ‘downsize’ from their current property and stay within the parish.

The provision of assisted accommodation for older members of the community requires a more in-depth study. Several of the comments received referred to the need for sheltered/warden assisted homes.

Local needs housing schemes
Local needs housing schemes are built to provide affordable rented or shared ownership homes for local people. The homes are managed by a housing association and an agreement sets out the criteria that any applicant would have to fulfil in order to be allocated a home. Importantly they must be able to demonstrate a connection to the parish, either through residency, close family or employment.

Finding a site
As land within the village envelope is scarce and carries a high value, planning policy allows, where a proven need is established, for local needs housing schemes to be built outside of the normal limits to built development. These are known as exception sites. There are very strict criteria that must be met to ensure that the homes are sensitively designed, well located in relationship to the village, local services, the surrounding countryside and highways.
The Parish Council will be considering whether there are any suitable sites for a small scheme to meet local needs in the near future.
If anyone would like to put forward land for consideration please contact the Rural Housing Enabler with details

Jennifer Shaw
Rural Housing Enabler
Action with Communities in Rural Kent
15 Manor Road
Folkestone Telephone: 01303 850816
Kent CT20 2AH Email: jennifer.shaw@ruralkent .org.uk
Report of a meeting of the Housing Committee
Held at 1500 on Monday 5th Sept 2005 at Goudhurst Village Hall

Present: Jennifer Shaw (Action with Communities in Rural Kent)
Janet Norman (TWBC Housing Dept)
Cllrs Mrs Marian Sargeant, Mrs Watkins, Nichol and Crookall.
Apologies: Cllr Mrs Margaret Sargent.

Housing Needs Survey. Arrangements for the forthcoming survey were discussed at some length. Councillors were satisfied that the standard draft questionnaire with some minor modifications will meet our requirements. In particular we feel that it will now bring out the level of demand for privately owned starter homes as well as similar Housing Association houses. It should also provide guidance on the requirements for Warden assisted accommodation with the ability to distinguish between those wanting the provision in the public or private sectors.

Jennifer Shaw requested that we provide her with copies of the GPC letterhead and advice on the numbers of dwellings in the Parish which has now been done.

It is anticipated that the questionnaires will be prepared and delivered to us about 14th October. A different colour will be used for Kilndown forms. It is essential that we use all possible means of communication to publicise the survey and encourage the most comprehensive cover, stressing the need to help the elderly to complete and return their forms using the accompanying stamped addressed envelope. Distribution will be carried out by Parish Councillors. We hope that this can coincide with the distribution of a rather belated GPC annual report. The return date for completed questionnaires will be 11th November 05. Reasonable steps are being taken to avoid duplicate entries skewing the outcome.

We need to work with the following to encourage a full response: Lunch Club, The Tea Club, Kilndown Newsletter, The Parish Magazine, The Church Weekly Sheet, Ex-Servicemen’s Club and our Web Site - plus any other groups??

TC 8th Sept 2005