Strategic Housing Market Assessment
A strategic housing market assessment (SHMA) is a collection of data and survey information about all parts of the housing market in a particular area. Amongst other things, it helps develop a long-term view of housing need and demand to inform planning policies. All sub-regions across the country have to produce one and they are at various stages of completion.
As part of the Cambridge sub-region, St Edmundsbury has been working with the six other local authorities in the sub-region to manage and administer our SHMA. It is now completed and a link to it is shown below. Because the document is so large, it is available as separate chapters. The SHMA will be updated regularly as new research and data becomes available.
Sub-regional Housing Strategy
This strategy is the third to be produced. The first was published in 2003, the second ran from 2004 to 2008/09 and the third runs from 2008 - 2011. It:
- provides a picture of housing across our sub-region and identifies areas for action where sub-regional working can make a difference;
- identifies resources for housing, and where there are gaps in resources;
- highlights our priorities for action and investment; and
- sets out our plans for 2008 - 2011 to address these priorities.
For more information, see the full Sub-regional Housing Strategy (PDF 2Mb) and Appendices (PDF 2Mb)
Housing and Homelessness Strategies 2008-2013
The Housing Strategy 2008-2013 and the Homelessness Strategy 2008-2013. Both were approved by Cabinet on 3 December 2008.
Empty Homes and Wasted Space Strategy 2009 - 2011
The new Empty Homes and Wasted Space Strategy 2009 - 2011 lays out St Edmundsbury's Borough Council's plans for tackling the wasted resource of empty properties in the borough. The strategy can be viewed by clicking on .
Supporting People Strategy
Supporting People is a national programme funded by central Government. Supporting People in Suffolk is a working partnership of local government, probation, health, voluntary sector organisations, housing associations, support agencies and service users. Their strategy can be viewed by clicking on:
http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/CareAndHealth/SupportingPeople/AboutUs/Strategy.htm
Gypsies and Travellers
Gypsies and Travellers have been part of the UK community since the 16th century. Throughout history Gypsy and Travelling communities in the UK have been marginalised and expected to live on the periphery of society, without access to mainstream services and always with a shortage of places to stay.
Below are two reports on Gypsies and Travellers within the Suffolk area.
Housing Requirements Study 2005
Opinion Research Services (ORS) was commissioned by St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 2005 to identify existing and future housing needs across the area in the context of overall housing market requirements.
The study was comprehensive in considering the different components of housing requirements and supply. In addition to households identified as currently being in housing need, the study identified the future housing requirements of established and newly forming households across the area together with inward migrants from within the UK and abroad. These gross housing requirements were offset against the likely supply of housing from within the existing stock to yield a net requirement for additional housing.
The outputs considered household affordability in terms of the ability to afford appropriate market housing, the ability to afford more than social rented housing without being able to afford appropriate market housing, and the inability to afford any more than the appropriate social rent. Therefore the requirements for market housing, intermediate housing and social housing were comprehensively covered.
You can view the full report by clicking on Housing Requirements Study (PDF 4.7Mb)
