Castle Carrock (Carlisle City Council)

Introduction
Location
The village of Castle Carrock is in the parish of Castle Carrock and the administrative district of Carlisle City Council, ten miles east of Carlisle accessed along the A69 to Brampton and then about six miles south along the B6413.

Demographics
The village has a population of about 310 in about 120 households. ⁽ⁱ⁾

Case study
The case study in Castle Carrock was on Meadow View, a development of four one-bedroom bungalows owned by Anchor Trust.

Profile of the Village
1. Important attributes for residents living in Castle Carrock

• The peace and quiet and being close to larger towns.

2. Services available in the village
Castle Carrock has the necessary amenities for a small rural village: a post office (with basic food essentials), a church, a primary school and a village hall. There are several community groups such as toddler groups and the Women’s Institute.

3. School

• In addition to mother-and-toddler groups, Castle Carrock also has a foundation infant and junior school for mixed pupils aged 4-11years.
• The details outlined below have been taken from the April 2000 OFSTED inspection report.

‘Although there is a low turnover of families moving into or out of the area, pupil numbers have increased in the last 5 years.’

• There are 82 on the school roll.
• The average number of pupils per qualified teacher is 19.
• The average class size is 20.5.
• The quality of the teaching was at the least satisfactory.
• Overall effectiveness is satisfactory.
• The provision for special needs was good.
• Parents held positive views towards the school.
• Pupil numbers increased from 61 to 82 in the last five years.
• The nearest secondary schools are in Brampton and Carlisle.

4. Police and fire

• The village has been allocated a community police officer and Castle Carrock is patrolled daily.
• A mobile police station visits once a month.
• The nearest police station is in Brampton.
• The nearest fire station is in Brampton but this is staffed part-time.

5. Transport

• There is a bus service twice a day, four times a week.
• An adult single fare to Carlisle is £3.10.
• Residents spoke of an inadequate and infrequent service, which especially affects the elderly.
• 91% of the residents in Castle Carrock have the use of a car. ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
• The nearest railway stations are Brampton and Carlisle.

6. Local employment

• Approximately 20 people are self employed or work on farms.
• All others of working age commute to Brampton, Carlisle, Penrith and Newcastle.
• Approximately 20 professionals have moved into the village in recent years.

7. Weekly average incomes
Cumbria Rural Housing Trust’s Rural Housing Strategy details weekly average incomes in Carlisle based on an average of figures available from Cumbria County Council, New Earnings Survey and the Office of National Statistics. Averages were used as figures varied greatly: this information should therefore be used only for illustrative purposes.

Employees on an average income would therefore need 11 times their annual salary to buy an average-priced house on the open market.

8. The cost of a bag of shopping
Compared with a town-based supermarket.

• Bread
• Milk 1 pint
• Eggs (6)
• Beans (435g)
• Tea (80-100bags)
• Coffee (100g)
• Toilet Rolls (4)
• Butter (250g)

Current housing provision in Castle Carrock
1. Case study – Meadow View

• Anchor Trust has four one-bedroom bungalows.
• There are no local occupancy clauses.
• The properties are under Council Tax band A (£799.01).

2. Other social housing provision

• Carlisle City Council originally had two three-bedroom houses but both have now been lost through the Right to Buy
• The parish has three cottages known as the ‘Watson Cottages’. These cottages are rented to the local people and surplus revenue supports the village hall.

3. Council Tax banding

4. Housing market prices (Jan-March 2003) ⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Key statistics

• 3.5% of total housing stock is rented social housing.
• 33% of social landlord housing stock has been lost through the Right to Buy. This figure includes social landlord stock where Right to Acquire does not apply.
• The 1991 Census records one property in Castle Carrock as a non-permanent-residence home (0.8% of total housing stock).
• About eight holiday cottages are being developed in existing buildings on brown-field sites.
• The ratio of affordable housing to non-permanent-residence homes is 4:1.

1. Case study return rate
There was a 25% response rate from the case-study questionnaire showing:

2. Reasons for residents accepting a tenancy
The development is mainly for elderly people, so all the respondents were retired and had wanted more suitable accommodation and to be nearer their families.

3. Employment information
The development is for elderly households, so all respondents were retired.

Case study planning details: ref no: (90/0062)
1. Housing need
There is no evidence of housing needs data at the time of the planning application. As the project was built on an infill site in the village boundary, no housing needs information was required to justify a planning decision.

Cumbria Rural Housing Trust completed a housing needs survey in 2001 in the parish which identified two households needing affordable housing provision. Their requirements could be met by the existing Anchor Housing Trust scheme. At the time of the survey, however, priority was not given to households in the parish.

2. Timescale for permission
Application date: 16.01.1990
Decision date: not available
Planning permission notice date: 16.03.1990

The time to receive detailed planning consent was three months, through what appears to have been a very straightforward application process.

3. Planning policy at the time of development
The site was an infill site on the eastern side of the village main street, so it did not attract any Section 106 planning obligations in relation to occupancy restrictions.

4. Opposition and support to the scheme
The parish council supported the development and also played a part in instigating the development.
The County highways department made no objections to the proposals; however, they did make several specification recommendations.

Importance and impact of affordable housing in Castle Carrock

• Meadow View has had little effect on the village.
• It has allowed older people to live in more suitable accommodation and in some cases to be near their families.
• There are concerns that a ‘local’ may not be a priority for a house in the development since there are no local occupancy restrictions.

Unlike some of the other communities visited there is not a real housing issue, whether it be second homes, or lack of affordable and suitable accommodation for the residents. The one concern for many of the residents interviewed was with the new residents – the ‘commuters’.

Castle Carrock appears to have attracted a lot of professional people in recent years. These are people who want to be near larger towns such as Carlisle but still wish to live in rural surroundings. Castle Carrock is the perfect location for this lifestyle. The comments received from those interviewed are:

• Evidence would suggest that many do not use the post office regularly, since they can use the larger stores. Indeed, the post office is unsure about its future and cites this reason.
• The community is split between the older residents and the new residents.
• Housing that was affordable to villagers a few years ago will diminish as affluent people buy up the property coming onto the market.
• This is attracting private developers who are aware that people can afford high house prices.
• Therefore, the young residents have to move away, and residents who are settled in the village cannot move into bigger accommodation since prices are increasing.
• A recent private development that was not in keeping with the landscape was met by a lot of local opposition.
• The arrival of the commuters has had a positive effect on the school, supported by the increase in pupil numbers.
• The representative of the school who was interviewed (who had been there for 12 years) was aware of a community split and was concerned that this may ultimately affect the dynamics of the school.

Parish council views
The Parish Council supported the assessment and evaluation of the present situation in Castle Carrock.

Conclusion
Castle Carrock is a sustainable village but there are some serious issues which could affect its future. These are not directly to do with housing or second-home ownership but the increase in more affluent households arriving to live in the village.

At present, this apparent split in the community is not a serious issue. A problem may arise if house prices continue to increase, private developers build for a particular clientele and the residents are forced to move away. The question also needs to be asked whether the new residents would be happy to have, should there come a need, a social housing development built. Evidence would suggest a need for more low-cost housing for young families to enable them to set up home in the parish, to help alleviate the pressures on a separating community.

In addition, at present, the local post office is suffering from lack of trade. This is affecting its future and could cause problems for the elderly who rely on it for essentials since travelling further afield is inappropriate and difficult. This is not helped by the inadequate public transport.

^{Sources:
i Cumbria County Council 1997 Local Profiles, www.cumbria.gov.uk - Office for National Statistics, Information and Intelligence 1997
ii Cumbria County Council 1997 Local Profiles, www.cumbria.gov.uk
iii Land Registry www.landregistry.gov.uk and upmystreet.com
iv www.nationalstatistics.gov.uk}

Cliburn (Eden District Council)

Introduction
Location
The village of Cliburn is in the administrative district of Eden District Council, eight miles south of Penrith, and can be accessed from the A6 to Shap.

Demographics
The village has a population of about 190 (81 properties) and is within the parish of Cliburn. ⁽ⁱ⁾

Case study
The case study in Cliburn was on Cuthbert’s Close, a development of four three-bedroom houses and two two-bedroom houses owned by Mitre Housing Association.

Profile of the village
1. Important attributes for residents living in Cliburn

• 67% said they liked Cliburn because of the scenery and the peace and quiet.
• 33% listed the community as being important.

2. Services available in the village
Cliburn is lacking in visible local services. However, there is a public house and a village hall that organises various community activities. In addition one member of the community gets newspapers delivered to her house and the residents collect their paper from there. There is also a mobile butcher who delivers to Cliburn.

• The public house is having difficulties and this was blamed on the ‘community change’ seen over the years.
• The majority of residents interviewed favoured a return of the village shop.
• The closure of the school appears to have affected the community. One resident described it as the ‘heart of the community’.

3. School

• There is no nursery care in Cliburn.
• The nearest primary school is in Morland (2 miles).
• There is a bus to Bolton primary school (3 miles).
• The nearest secondary school is in Ullswater (5 miles).
• There are also buses which run to secondary schools in Penrith and Appleby.

4. Police and fire

• The village has been allocated a community police officer and Cliburn is patrolled daily.
• A mobile police station visits once a month.
• The nearest police station is in Appleby.
• The nearest fire station is in Penrith and is staffed part-time.

5. Transport

• There is a bus service to Penrith and Langwathby.
• The nearest railway stations are Penrith and Kendal.
• 93% of the residents in Cliburn own one car or more.

6. Local employment

• The majority of residents work in Penrith and a few in Appleby.
• There are one or two local farmers.
• Centre Parcs has not affected Cliburn due to the transport difficulties linking the village with the holiday complex.

7. Weekly average incomes
Cumbria Rural Housing Trust’s Rural Housing Strategy details weekly average incomes in Eden district based on an average of figures available from Cumbria County Council, New Earnings Survey and the Office of National Statistics. Averages were used as figures varied greatly: this information should therefore be used only for illustrative purpose.

Employees on an average income would therefore need seven times their annual salary to buy an average-priced house on the open market.

8. The cost of a bag of shopping
There is no shop in Cliburn, so comparisons on the cost of a bag of shopping could not be made.

Current housing provision in Cliburn
1. Case study - Cuthbert’s Close, Cliburn

• Mitre Housing Association has four three-bedroom houses and two two-bedroom houses.
• They were completed in 1992.
• Eden District Council has 50% nomination rights.
• It has been 18 months to two years since any properties became vacant.
• The properties are under Council Tax band B (£899.32).
• The rents are not restructured.
• There is no section 106 restricting occupancy on the properties.

2. Other social housing provision

• Eden Housing Association owns three further properties.
• Four properties have been lost through the Right to Buy scheme.

3. Council Tax banding
Eden District Council reported that the majority of properties in RSL ownership would be either band A, B or C. Detached £136,375 Council Tax bandings for Cliburn are as follows:

4. Housing market prices (Jan-March 2003) ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Key statistics

• 11% of properties are rented social housing.
• The 1991 census records seven properties within Cliburn where the accommodation is not used as a main residence (9% of total housing stock).
• 30% of total social landlord stock has been lost in the village through Right to Buy. This figure includes social landlord properties where Right to Acquire does not apply.
• The approximate ratio of affordable housing to non-permanent-residence homes is 1:1.

1. Case-study return rate
There was a 50% response rate from the case-study questionnaire showing:

2. Reasons for residents accepting a tenancy

• 67% of the responses had family and friends in the village before moving into the property.
• 33% previously lived in the village and wished to stay.
• 33% previously had unsatisfactory accommodation.
• 33% formation of a new household.

3. Employment

• 100% of the respondents worked full time.
• 100% of respondents travelled within a five-mile radius to work.
• 100% of the respondents had a car and would use it to get to work.

Case study planning details: ref no: (91/0058)
1. Housing need
Evidence of housing need was provided by Eden District Council at the time of this planning application.

2. Timescales
Application date: 28.01.91
Decision date: 23.05.91 (subject to conditions).
The actual time to receive planning approval was four months.

3. Planning policy at the time of development
Eden District Council did not have a local plan at the time of this application, so there were no set policies under which applications were considered, other than good design, density, etc.

Eden District Council did not operate a village development boundary system, so any development in a village was treated according to its merits and its proximity to the existing structures in the village.

The proposals were not treated as an exception to planning policy as no such policy existed at the time.

4. Opposition and support for the scheme
It appears that the only opposition to this proposal stemmed from concerns about the disposal of sewage from the proposed development. It appears that this matter was resolved during the four-month planning application process.
 
Importance and impact of affordable housing in Cliburn
The affordable housing provision has allowed families to live in Cliburn. However, it is difficult to draw any conclusions about the effect of the site, especially on the local services, since these are limited. The public house said that the effect was minimal and the residents were not regulars. However, one of the resident’s partners is on the village hall committee and he commented that these events are well attended.

All the local residents we interviewed believed that affordable housing was a good idea. There were more negative attitudes towards non-residents who had come to retire in the village and the new private developments being built, and it was said that this was changing the community for the worst. The majority of respondents had no problem with Cuthbert’s Close and said it was helping to retain families in the village. Several residents, including a resident who had witnessed a change in the community over the years, wanted affordable housing but to buy rather than just to rent. Some of the older residents had complained of noise from the development. However, one resident remarked that this showed how the community was split between those who wanted a peaceful and retiring village and another side who welcomed the need for families and children into the village.
 
Parish council views
The parish council also expressed concerns for Cliburn but was very positive about its future, since plenty of families have moved into the
village and a vibrant community life appears to have developed since the building of the village hall.
Concerns were expressed about the drainage system in Cliburn, which is causing problems for future building developments.

Conclusion
Cliburn, as with many rural villages, has been confronted with change. Those who have lived in the village for a long time have witnessed a local shop and school close down, both of which were focal points of community life. The difficulty facing the public house is another blow for Cliburn.

It had been believed that Cliburn could be a base for employees for the Centre Parcs development, but poor transport links between Cliburn and the Parcs had made this unfeasible.

The main success of the affordable housing development, it would seem, is that it has allowed several families to move into Cliburn – essential to form a community.

There is positive news in that a new village hall has been built and community activities and events are organised and appear to be well attended. In addition it seems to have united some of the community, who are now hoping for the introduction of new services in the future. It could perhaps be argued that the affordable housing came too late to save the last school and services.

It is difficult to assess Cliburn in terms of sustainability especially since it has been unable to support village services in the past. Also, unlike other communities, there does not seem an urgent need for housing. However, the future could be brighter especially as there are far more children in the community than ever before. Evidence suggests a need for more low-cost housing to enable young families to settle and stay in the village.

^{Sources:
i Cumbria County Council 1997 Local Profiles, www.cumbria.gov.uk - Office for National Statistics, Information and Intelligence 1997
ii Land Registry www.landregistry.gov.uk and upmystreet.com}

Chapel Stile (South Lakeland District Council)

Introduction
Location
The village of Chapel Stile is in the administrative district of South Lakeland District Council in the heart of the Lake District National Park. Chapel Stile lies nine miles south of Ambleside along the A593 to Coniston off the B5343.

Demographics
The village has a population of about 190 and 141 properties. ⁽ⁱ⁾  The village is part of the Lakes Parish which in 1995 had a population of 5,109 and 2,614 properties. ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Case study
The case study in Chapel Stile was on Howe Bank View, a development of two, two-bedroom houses and five three-bedroom houses owned by Mitre Housing Association.

Profile of the Village
1. Important attributes for residents living in Chapel Stile

• 50% said they liked living in Chapel Stile because of the scenery and the peace and quiet.
• 40% said the community was important to them.

2. Services available in the village

‘The school, shop and pub is what keeps us in touch with the residents.’

The services available include a grocery shop, 15 self-catering properties, a pub, a café, a primary school, a village hall and a church. The community is also part of a ‘valley settlement’ which has several community organisations and events, including a playgroup. The respondents were keen to mention the importance of the school and its close links to the community.

• Most of the respondents used the village shop and saw it as an important service for the village for convenience items. The main shopping for the majority of residents takes place in supermarkets in the larger towns.
• There is a post office in nearby Elterwater.

3. School

• Chapel Stile has one playgroup.
• Chapel Stile has a Church of England primary school for mixed pupils aged 5-11 years.

 ‘This is a good school.’
‘Very good links exist within the community.’

The details outlined below have been taken from the OFSTED inspection report from 2000.

• There are 38 on the school roll.
• Average number of pupils per qualified teacher is 14.8.
• Average class size is 17.
• The quality of the teaching is good.
• The curriculum is of a very good range and quality.
• The provision for special needs is good.
• Parental views are very positive and supportive.
• The nearest secondary school is in Coniston (5 miles).
• 80% of the residents from Howe Bank View have children.
• 60% of the residents who responded from Howe Bank View commented on how important the school was to them and to the community.

4. Police and fire

• The village does not have a specific named community officer; however in the area there are nine police officers who have various responsibilities for the village. Patrols are undertaken when possible. There is no mobile station and nearby Ambleside police station is no longer staffed.
• The nearest fire stations are in Ambleside, four miles away, and Coniston, six. These are staffed part time.

5. Transport

The bus service provides six buses per day, and in winter five on Saturdays and four on Sundays. In the summer six buses run on Saturdays and five on Sundays to Ambleside.

• An adult single fare is £2.25 to £4.15; children’s fares range from £1.76 - £2.95.
• 90% of the respondents in Chapel Stile had one car or more.
• The residents raised concerns about the limited public transport.
• The nearest train station is Windermere.

6. Local employment

• Tourism/service industry and retail.
• Outdoor centres and activities.
• Agriculture.
• Self-employed, e.g. joiners and electricians.
• Kirkstone quarries.

7. Weekly average incomes
Cumbria Rural Housing Trust’s Rural Housing Strategy details weekly average incomes in South Lakeland based on an average of figures available from Cumbria County Council, New Earnings Survey and the Office of National Statistics. Averages were used as figures varied greatly: this information should therefore be used only for illustrative purposes.

8. The cost of a bag of shopping
Compared with a nearby town supermarket.

Current housing provision in Chapel Stile
1. Case study - Howe Bank View

• Mitre Housing Association owns two two-bedroom houses and five three-bedroom houses.
• They were completed in 2001.
• South Lakeland District Council has 50% nomination rights.
• Occupancy of the properties is restricted by a section 106 agreement.
• Properties were first let in July 2001.
• There are three households on the waiting list at present.
• The three-bed houses are under council tax band D (£1,174.89).
• The two-bed houses are under council tax band C (£1,044.35).
• The rents are not restructured rents. Rent restructuring is currently being undertaken by the housing association.

2. Other RSL provision

• South Lakeland District Council owns six properties at Walthwaite.
• Mitre Housing Association owns another eight properties at The Glebe.
• Two Castles Housing Association has six flats for the elderly at Meadowside.
• This is a total of 27 social housing units.

3. Council Tax banding
South Lakeland District Council reported that the majority of properties in RSL ownership would be either band B, C and D. Detached No data The Council Tax bands for Chapel Stile are as follows.

4. Housing market (Jan-March 2003) ⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Key statistics

• 27 of the properties in Chapel Stile are owned by registered social landlords; this equates to 19% of total housing stock in the village.
• 12% of social landlord stock has been lost from social housing provision into the open market through Right to Buy. This figure includes social landlord stock where Right to Acquire does not apply
• The 1991 Census records that 956 (37% of properties) in the Lakes Parish are non-permanent-residence homes. South Lakeland District Council records 26% of properties registered for 50% discount within the Lakes Parish.
• Taking into account the 1991 Census, the ratio of affordable homes to non-permanent-residence homes is 1:2.

1. Case-study return rate
There was a 71% response rate from the case-study questionnaire showing:

2. Reasons for residents accepting a tenancy

• 100% of the respondents had originated from or had strong family connections with the village and wanted to maintain family links.
• Return to the area.
• Start a new household.
• 20% of respondents had moved from a neighbouring parish into a more secure tenancy but had close family and social connections in the village.

3. Employment information

• 100% of the respondents were in employment.
• 80% of the respondents’ total household income was over £200 per week.
• 20% of the respondents’ total household income was between £150 and £200.
• 100% of the respondents work within a ten-mile radius of Chapel Stile.

Case study planning details: ref no: (7/99/5208)
1. Housing need
A housing needs survey was undertaken in July 1998 by Cumbria Rural Housing Trust which highlighted a priority housing need for 14 local people. Respondents stated a high preference for shared ownership.

2. Timescale for permission
Application date: 24.05.99 Decision date: 01.09.99 Planning permission notice date: 31.05.99 The actual time to receive planning approval was three months. But the process of land acquisition and the subsequent signing of the Section 106 agreement delayed the issue of the actual planning permission notice, giving an overall timescale of one year.

3. Planning policy at the time of development
This site was considered under the exception site policy.

4. Opposition and support to the scheme
The District Council and the Parish Council both supported the proposals.

Several issues relating to the requirements of the highways department caused objections on both sides: those wanting the proposed highways
works and those opposed to them.
The various other reasons for objection concerned the materials to be used and the design and layout of the development.

The overwhelming comment on the proposals was that of support, one extract being:

‘We approve of a development that brings young families into the village and so keeps the community viable.’

Importance and impact of affordable housing in Chapel Stile

‘The affordable housing is like a drop in the ocean.’

• The primary school would have lost pupils to Ambleside if Howe Bank View had not been built.
• It was important to the local residents that affordable housing remains specifically for the residents.
• More housing is needed, especially for families.
• The other local residents believe the development, and affordable housing, is an important part of Chapel Stile. Without housing of this sort available, Chapel Stile could become a dying community, since it is very popular with second-home owners who do not live in the properties all year round.
• The development enabled family links to be maintained

‘Affordable housing is needed otherwise Chapel Stile will become a dying community.’

• Local residents and service providers are concerned about the number of second-home owners and those retiring to the village, and more specifically that affordable housing provision will become scarce.
• The shop also agreed that affordable housing is extremely necessary, not only for the shop but the community in general.
• Both services believe that this type of housing is vital, due to the current state of house prices (which are out of reach of the residents), if the community is to remain sustainable.

Parish council views
Parish councillors agreed with the overall findings and summary of the research. There is clearly a vibrant community in Chapel Stile which involves both long-standing residents and newer arrivals who support a relatively wide range of services including the shop, school, village hall and pub.

Local affordable housing need is significant especially since there is no likelihood of house prices declining in the near future. Employment opportunities are scarce and many local people rely on employment in surrounding areas.

Conclusion

‘We need to keep the school and affordable housing going for Chapel Stile to continue being sustainable.’

Chapel Stile is an ‘idyllic rural village.’ It is in a stunning setting and is in commutable distance to larger towns, such as Windermere and Ambleside. As such it is very popular with second-home owners and those retiring to the area. However, as the local residents comment, this does not help to sustain local services such as the school. The community is changing: many local residents are having to move away because they cannot afford the high house prices as non-residents can, and the community is very much divided between the incomers and the local residents. The residents do not like this.

There are many issues surrounding Chapel Stile, its sustainability, the increase in second-home ownership and the decline in rural employment. In talking to the residents of Chapel Stile it was apparent that most residents would be prepared to travel a long way to work if it meant they could remain in the village and be near their family and friends.

Chapel Stile is a lovely village and it is predicted that it will continue to be sustainable but the community is in danger due to limited employment and the transport problems. Affordable housing provision also needs to be maintained. The research has proved this by showing the benefits of Howe Bank View for the village and the need for more affordable family houses.

^{Sources:
i Lakes Parish Council
ii Cumbria County Council 1997 Local Profiles, www.cumbria.gov.uk - Office for National Statistics, Information and Intelligence 1997
iii Land Registry www.landregistry.gov.uk and upmystreet.com}

Glenridding (Eden District Council)

Introduction
Location
The village of Glenridding is in the administrative district of Eden District Council. Situated on the shores of Ullswater, on the A592 from Penrith, Glenridding is about 12 miles south-west of Penrith. The village is in the Lake District National Park.

Demographics
The village is in the parish of Patterdale and in 1995 had a population of about 425 in 321 households. ⁽ⁱ⁾

Case study
The case study in Glenridding was on Browfield Close, a development of two two-bedroom houses, four three-bedroom houses and four two-bedroom bungalows owned by Home Housing Association.

Profile of the Village
1. Important attributes for residents living in Glenridding
In order of preference, the respondents found the following services the most useful:

• The shop
• The pub
• The petrol station
• The doctor.

2. Services available in the village
Glenridding has many services available, although several of these are geared towards tourism, including a hotel, bed-and-breakfasts, coffee shops, local convenience stores and pubs.

3. School
There is no school in Glenridding. The children travel to Patterdale Church of England School.

The details outlined below have been taken from the 1998 OFSTED inspection report.

• Ages 4-11 years.
• ‘The quality of teaching is judged to be very good overall.’
• English and mathematics are rated as good.

4. Police and fire

• The nearest police station to Glenridding is in Penrith. This station is not staffed 24 hours a day.
• There is no fire station in Glenridding. The nearest fire station is in Patterdale and this is staffed part time.

5. Transport

• There is at least one bus every 2 hours to Penrith, 6 days a week, costing £3.15 return.
• 79% of residents have a car.
• The nearest train station is Penrith.

6. Local employment

• The following information on local employment for Glenridding was produced by the ward councillor:
• Past mining village.
• Tourism.
• Lots of self-employed people: builders, plumbers, joiners, contract farm work.
• Residents also commute to the main centres of employment such as Penrith, Kendal and Windermere.

7. Weekly average incomes
Cumbria Rural Housing Trust’s Rural Housing Strategy details weekly average incomes in Eden based on an average of figures available from Cumbria County Council, New Earnings Survey and the Office of National Statistics. Averages were used as figures varied greatly: this information should therefore be used only for illustrative purposes.

Employees on an average income would therefore need 15 times their annual salary to buy an average-priced house on the open market.

8. The cost of a bag of shopping
Compared with a nearby town supermarket.

Current housing provision in Glenridding
1. Case study - Browfield Close, Glenridding

• Home Housing Association has two two-bedroom houses, four three-bedroom houses and four two-bedroom bungalows.
• They were completed in 1995.
• Eden District Council has 50% nomination rights to the properties.
• The properties are restricted by a section 106 agreement.
• There has been one vacancy in the last 12 months.
• No properties have been lost through Right to Buy.
• These are non-restructured rents.
• The properties are Council Tax band B and C (£902.76 and £1031.71).

2. Other social housing provision

• Eden Housing Association has one three-bedroom house, average protected rent £53.50; and four two-bedroom flats, protected rental of £43 per week at Homefield.
• No properties have been sold since 1 April 2001.
• A total of 13 houses and four flats have been sold under Right to Buy.
• Eden Housing Association has a further three three-bedroom houses at Browfield and four three-bedroom houses at Headlands.
• Prices of rents per week range from £46.36 to £58.87 and £61.82.
• Eleven of their properties were lost through Right to Buy.
• Eden Housing Association reports a waiting list of 22 applicants for the properties.

3. Council Tax banding
Eden District Council reported that the majority of properties in RSL ownership would be either band A, B or C.
Council Tax bands for Glenridding are as follows;

4. Housing market (Jan-March 2003) ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Key statistics

• 22 properties are rented social housing; 7% of total housing stock in the parish.
• 60% of social landlord stock in the village has been lost through the Right to Buy. This figure includes social landlord stock where the Right to Acquire does not apply.
• The 1991 Census records 155 properties in Glenridding where the accommodation is not used as a main residence (48% of total housing stock).
• The ratio of affordable housing to non-permanent-residence homes is about 1:7.

1. Case study profile
There was a 50% response rate from the case-study questionnaire.

2. Reasons why people were allocated a property

• 50% of respondents who were allocated these properties originated from the village.
• 50% of respondents who were allocated these properties were able to maintain family links.

3. Employment
In the respondents’ households we found the following:

• 29% of the residents were employed full time.
• 57% of the residents were employed part time.
• 14% of the residents were unemployed.
• 75% of households have use of a car if they need to commute to work.

Two households gave their total weekly income as £200-£250.

Case study planning details: ref no: (7/91/3124)
1. Housing need
Evidence of housing need was provided by Eden District Council at the time of the planning application.

A housing needs survey conducted in 1999 by Cumbria Rural Housing Trust showed 12 households in housing need. The income of those in need ranged from £10,400 to £15,600 a year.

2. Timescale
Application date: 17.12.91
Decision date: May 1992
Planning permission notice date: 06.10.94

The actual time to receive planning approval was five months. But the process of land acquisition and the subsequent signing of the Section 106 agreement delayed the issue of the actual planning permission notice, giving an overall timescale of almost two years.

3. Planning policy at the time of the development
This site was considered under the exception site policy.

Due to errors in the site plan dimensions, a revision to the approved plan was necessary which took a further six months and several site visits to resolve.

4. Opposition and support to the scheme
The number of objectors is not known. However, those objections noted refer to:

• the loss of visual amenity;
• the proximity to an adjacent owner;
• dangerous access;
• the site is wet, and there were concerns raised about the existing beck running through proposed rear gardens.

The district council, the parish council and the highways department all supported or had no objections to the development.

There was a further note of support for the scheme that commented on redressing the balance with holiday homes in the village, estimated at 50% of households.

Importance and impact of affordable housing in Glenridding

‘There is a need for more affordable housing because there are too many second homes and a lot of young people are having to move away.’

• Comments were made by local residents that properties in Glenridding were too expensive and that the rents in the affordable housing site were considered high.
• One respondent associated affordable housing with unemployment.
• The comment was made that the affordable housing was such a small site that there had been no real effect on local businesses since it was built.
• Another reason the affordable housing site had little effect on local businesses was that the businesses rely on the tourism industry rather than the local residents.
• Tenants of the affordable housing site were either local to the village or had family connections with the village.

Parish council views
Parish councillors generally accepted the findings but regarded as too strong the comment that the houses were expensive. The population, according to a recent national survey, has remained the same. This conflicts with comments about the number of second homes in the village and the view that community numbers have dropped. The parish councillors also felt that there was a real opportunity in the village for development for professional people.

Conclusion
Although there is a recognised need for affordable housing in Glenridding, but some think there has been too little career or professional employment in the village, so why would young people stay anyway? However, this view is disputed by parish councillors in Glenridding who say there is an opportunity to advance in professional qualifications and status in the hotel business, with some salaries exceeding £16,000 a year. This perhaps reveals a difference in public opinion and fact, and perhaps is only useful for those who seek employment in this area.

In Glenridding it is suggested that employment and housing needs are linked. The main employment appears to be low-paid work in the hotel and tourism industries. This is a tourist village. Even the local food shop states that it could not survive without the tourists. This is indicative of their move from general groceries to quick snacks over the past 26 years. Therefore affordable housing has had no noticeable effect on the local services. Perhaps this reliance on tourism is due to the increasing number of second homes in the village, as this means that many of the houses are empty for most of the year and so the general population has decreased.

There is consensus that the affordable housing site has a good mix of house types and has allowed local residents to stay, but that it is too expensive. All the respondents had family connections or ties to the village, which show that section 106 has been successful. Some residents stated a dwindling community spirit, partly reflecting the high numbers of second homes. Although there was opposition to the building of this site, there were few negative comments from local residents, suggesting that initial concerns had been allayed. Glenridding is a tourist village, and it seems unlikely that this will cease in the foreseeable future, and it also seems likely that Glenridding will continue to sustain itself because of this. Future concerns that may need to be dealt with are the high property prices and the number of second homes.

^{Sources:
i Cumbria County Council 1997 Local Profiles, www.cumbria.gov.uk - Office for National Statistics, Information and Intelligence 1997
ii Land Registry www.landregistry.gov.uk and upmystreet.com}