In 2009, Cumbria Rural Housing Trust, commissioned by South Lakeland District Council, conducted Housing Needs Survey across several parishes in South Lakeland as part of a rolling programme of survey with the purpose of identifying the need for affordable housing. This report details the information derived from the survey responses from Arnside Parish.
The survey work undertaken at local level provides information for Parish Councils regarding the housing needs of their community and is essential evidence for South Lakeland District Council as the Planning & Housing Authority, Registered Social Landlords and developers to establish if there is a need for affordable housing. Copies of the findings of the survey are distributed to the Parish and South Lakeland District Council, and are placed on the Cumbria Rural Housing Trust web site.
The Survey
1341 survey forms were delivered by hand to the households and businesses within of the parish of Arnside (100%), with a return date of 21st December 2009. 394 households returned their completed forms. This is a return rate of 29.38% which is below the average of 35% return rate for this type of survey in Cumbria since 2006. Thanks go to the Parish Council and volunteers who worked to distribute the survey and to promote its importance to the community.
Of the returned forms there were 58 responses, saying that either the whole household or someone living within the household wished to move within the parish in the next 5 years. 4 of these completed forms were for 2 separate households in need, giving a total of 62 households saying that they were planning to move in the next 5 years.
See Appendix 1 for the criteria used to determine whether a household is in need.
Housing Need
Of the 62 survey responses indicating a housing need, 27 households were identified as in need of affordable housing in the parish of Arnside within next 5 years. See page 4 for breakdown.
The main need is for rented accommodation, though 1 household could afford Shared Ownership.
It is considered that the remaining 35 responses did not fit South Lakeland District Council’s criteria for being in need of affordable housing within the parish in the next 5 years.