1

A Sub Regional Housing Strategy for

Great Yarmouth and Waveney

2005 and beyond

October 2004

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Contents page Executive summary 3 Sub regional Map 4 I Introduction 5

Purpose of Strategy – How it has been developed – How it fits in with Local, regional and national plans – consultation

II Our Identity 9 Population and population trends for sub region – Economy –

Unemployment – Deprivation – Administrative distinctness – Cross border working – Special initiatives and partnerships – Regeneration potential and ambitions

III Our Housing Markets 14

Tenure composition – House price trends – Housing production – Second homes impact – Private renting – Social renting

IV Housing Conditions 22

Private housing – House condition – Survey headlines on unfitness, disrepair, risk and vulnerable householders – Social Housing – Decent Homes targets – Key priorities for our stock – Stock Options Appraisals – Housing Associations

V Needs 26

Social renting and intermediate tenures – Homelessness trends – Temporary accommodation needs – People with support needs – Adaptations – Key priorities for special needs

VI Developing a Sub Regional Strategy 33

Our priorities as distinct Housing Authorities – Sub regional working and added value

VII Priorities for the Sub Regional Strategy 35

Identification of key actions and tasks VIII Conclusions 39 Appendix 1: Action Plan

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Executive Summary This housing strategy for the Great Yarmouth and Waveney sub region will contribute to the Regional Housing Strategy for the East of England, 2005-10. It is the first distinct housing strategy for our sub region, which embraces the whole of the Waveney and Great Yarmouth District Council areas. The strategy is intended to set out the main housing issues which affect us as a sub region, and to identify areas where we can add value by acting together. It is intended to set out our case for regional investment and to provide an action plan for the two Housing Authorities to progress with key stakeholders. The sub region is characterized by challenging urban problems of deprivation, concentrations of poor housing and dereliction in inner urban neighbourhoods. But it also has significant rural populations, historic market towns, and settlements. The sub region suffers from severe and growing problems of affordability, a decreasing supply of affordable housing and increased levels of homelessness. There are high levels of disability in our population and significant gaps in special needs housing provision. The sub region has benefited from special investment projects in recognition of its economic and social problems, and has a very strong focus on regeneration. Despite the County boundary divide, there is now committed sub regional work across the two Districts, involving both County Councils, and also across planning, economic development and housing professionals. There is particular potential for our area in the likely formation of urban regeneration partnerships, to focus on particular urban areas of dereliction. Our strategy and action plan for the future focus particularly on: • Progressing a strong identity for our sub region • Working together to assess and respond to our housing markets and housing

needs • Driving investment plans and delivery, focusing particularly on neighbourhood

renewal and regeneration but also on homelessness and housing need; rural development; special needs and minority issues.

• Developing shared approaches to the issues we face where we can add value

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I Introduction 1.1 This is the first distinct housing strategy for the Waveney and Great

Yarmouth sub region in the East of England. 1.2 Its purpose is to

• Set out the main characteristics, key housing issues and objectives for our area

• Deliver a clear message about our sub region’s needs • Set out an action plan for sub regional development work • Identify housing investment needs for our area over the next 3 years • Set out our potential for maximising investment, realising change and

renewal, and delivering on agreed programmes. 1.3 Our strategy will feed directly into the Regional Housing Strategy for the

East of England 2005-2010, alongside the plans of the eight other sub regions. The Regional Strategy will provide the basis for allocations of public investment in housing by the Regional Housing Board, whether for new affordable housing or for renovation of existing homes.

1.4 Current national and regional priorities call for the most substantial

investment to go to designated growth areas, to respond to high demand in the southeast. However we also have sharp housing pressures, linked to our social and economic problems. Our key objectives focus on regeneration, aimed at • Improving housing conditions and local neighbourhoods • Improving people’s access to suitable housing • Contributing to more balanced housing markets We also need to respond to • Homelessness issues • Gaps in special needs provision • Rural issues in our area

How the Strategy has been Developed 1.5 The strategy has been developed by the two Housing Authorities, in

partnership with a range of stakeholders. 1.6 Key themes and issues were identified through two workshops held in

2004, attended by representatives from Housing Associations, developers, planners, economic development specialists, Supporting People teams, special needs organisations, local Councillors and housing officers, as well as from the Housing Corporation and Government Office.

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1.7 A project group including planners from Suffolk and Norfolk County

Councils, Housing Associations and District Council strategy officers has overseen the work. The evolving strategy has been approved by our sub regional member group and by a joint forum of Housing Associations and the two District Councils. During the period of wider consultation, the document was discussed by the executive committees for the two District Councils, by the sub regional working group and by the housing groups for the two Local Strategic Partnerships.

1.8 The joint forums will also oversee the next stages of developing our identity

as a sub region; drawing up investment plans; improving our understanding of our area’s needs and markets; progressing key action points and producing effective outcomes.

1.9 The strategy grows out of – and will in turn affect – the range of plans,

assessments and strategies both Districts have at local level. The diagram below sets out the connections.

1.10 The Strategy is divided into two main parts. Chapters II - V profile the sub

region and its needs, highlighting the key issues for the developing strategy. Chapters VI and VII then pull these themes together into a strategy statement, set of actions and investment requirements. A full action plan is appended. An investment plan will also be developed to contribute to Regional Housing Investment plans.

1.11 The document has an immediate purpose, which is to contribute to the

development of the 2005 Regional Housing Strategy, and to provide key information for regional planning and allocation processes. It also has a key role for us as Housing Authorities, partners and key players. It will help us move away from primarily Local or County-based thinking to sub regional approaches and action. In progressing it we intend to become more significant players in our region and bring tangible benefits to our area.

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Government Sustainable Communities Plan

Regional Housing Strategy

Housing Strategy for our Sub Region

• Local Plans for Waveney and Great Yarmouth

• Economic Strategies

District Housing Strategies: • Homelessness Strategies • Housing Needs Assessments and Surveys • House Condition Surveys

Regional Economic Strategy

Regional Planning Guidance

• County-wide Plans • Supporting People

strategy

Community Strategies for Norfolk and Suffolk

Community Strategies for Great Yarmouth and

Waveney

How the Strategy relates to Local, Regional and National strategies

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II Our Identity 2.1 The two Districts have similar populations. Recent draft estimates by the

Office of Population and Census Statistics (OPCS) of population trends have led to revised projections of growth over the next two decades, although these are still provisional:

Population Projections1

2.2 We share significant characteristics:

• About half the population of our two Districts is urban, concentrated particularly in Lowestoft, Yarmouth and Gorleston, but also in market towns and service centres

• We share areas of outstanding natural beauty – the Broads, wildlife areas and coastline – and heritage

• We are isolated geographically, being as far east as it is possible to go in the UK. Poor road and rail links with other parts of the country are major issues for us

2.3 Our urban areas in particular have suffered from economic decline:

• Coastal resort tourism has declined but its seasonal importance and impact is still very significant

• Traditional employment and other more recent industries such as offshore gas and oil have in turn suffered downturn

• Though unemployment has greatly reduced, our sub region remains a blackspot for joblessness and seasonal unemployment

• The two Districts’ unemployment ranking out of 354 English Local Authority areas (worst being 1) is:

Unemployment Ranking2

1 ONS 2002 2 ONS – Unemployment Briefing August 2004

Great Yarmouth

%+ Waveney %+

2002 91 500 113 400 2012 97 000 123 500 2022 103 100 11.3% 133 500 15%

Great Yarmouth

Waveney

2004 19th 41st

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2.4 We share significant problems of deprivation, as demonstrated by the national Index of Deprivation (ID), which again places all English Local Authority areas on a scale from 1 (worst) to 354. As with unemployment levels, Great Yarmouth’s problems appear to worse than Waveney’s:

ID2000: Local Authority ranking

2.5 The more recent ID2004 included some different criteria which makes

comparisons between the two indices difficult. It appears to show some welcome improvement, but there are still marked problems:

ID2004: Local Authority ranking

Issues of poor health, low incomes and unsatisfactory housing particularly feature in the urban wards of both Districts.

2.6 There are also differences between our two Districts. Great Yarmouth has

sizeable rural settlements but no market towns, while Waveney has four historic market towns, with their own separate identities and issues. Waveney also has a greater number of small rural settlements, which are likely to have hidden needs.

2.7 We are particularly distinct in terms of administration, governance and local

identity. The Broads Authority, a planning Authority in itself, overlaps with both Districts, but the County boundary divides us, and we currently look to our County structures in relation to planning frameworks, our partnerships with Social Services, Supporting People and others. Local people probably most strongly identify with their District, which is organized around our primary local democratic structures.

Waveney Great Yarmouth

Intensity of deprivation

82 5

Scale of deprivation

86 43

Waveney Great Yarmouth

Concentration of deprivation

92 35

scale of deprivation

113 70

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2.8 We should not underestimate the significance of District and County structures for our identity and relationships. They do much to explain why work between the two Districts is still new and in a very formative stage.

2.9 There are a number of key organizations which work across our

boundaries. Although the two District Councils have not historically worked closely, there is now keen commitment – with the two County Councils - to developing joint working, joint structures and delivery plans • for economic development, • for the new Local Development Frameworks which respond to regional

rather than County planning guidance • for housing • looking across these issues, particularly through a joint focus on

regeneration of our urban areas 2.10 There are different geographical boundaries to these projects. The planning

sub region is focused on the urban areas, for example, while the housing sub region encompasses the whole of Great Yarmouth and Waveney. However, we are determined to ensure an effective coming together of the different strands of sub regional work through the structures and partnerships which are being evolved.

2.11 We have a lot in common not only in terms of our urban problems, but also

in the ways that each District has worked to attract investment and develop partnerships: • Between us we have had 5 Single Regeneration Budget schemes and 3

SureStart programmes. Both areas have Objective 2 and Assisted Area status and Great Yarmouth is in receipt of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding. Housing renewal has been a crucial element in these initiatives.

• We have effective and vibrant stakeholder and community partnerships, overseen by our Local Strategic Partnerships, in both of which housing is seen as a major player and contributor to the goal of sustainable communities.

• We have been very successful in bidding for funding and developing partnerships with stakeholders for delivery, both for the SRBs themselves, and for Housing Renewal Area funding. Each District has attracted funds to boost their town centres; for example £16.3m in inteGREAT investment to improve Great Yarmouth’s town centre, seafront and heritage buildings and £14.7m through Waveney’s Sunrise scheme to regenerate Lowestoft.

• Despite our economic problems, we are attracting innovative investment and development opportunities, in particular around renewable energy.

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2.12 Plans to form an Urban Regeneration Company (URC) to focus on the renewal of derelict and underused urban land in both Districts have been developed by the four Councils – District and County – working together with the East of England Development Agency. If the URC comes to fruition it will act as a development facilitator, attracting gap funding to help the development of land with difficult conditions. The aim is to stimulate a real renaissance within the two towns through mixed development, including housing. The basis for strong sub regional regeneration partnerships has been forged from the process and will provide vehicles for progress even if the URC itself cannot proceed.

2.13 Both Districts and our County Councils thus no longer see our area as the

“end of the line” but instead as having potential for East Coast revival. This vision has been well recognised both nationally and at regional level by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), and our Government Office in the award of special funds. We need continued recognition from the Regional Housing Forum, the Regional Housing Board and the Regional Assembly about on the one hand the scale of our problems and on the other our potential to tackle them with the help of sustained investment.

Key strategic points:

• Our Districts have some differences but share common problems particularly centred on our urban areas.

• Both Districts have attracted major resource to assist with development and regeneration and are focused on effective partnership working and delivery.

• There are particular challenges to progressing sub regional work in relation to our County boundaries and historic identities. We need to develop a clear identity for our sub region.

• Sub regional work encouraged by the Region has different geographical boundaries. We need to develop appropriate structures to accommodate this.

• Sub regional work is progressing well, despite these challenges. A key example and potential vehicle for regeneration of parts of our urban areas has been created from development work on the URC.

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III Our Housing Markets 3.1 Owner occupation is the predominant housing tenure in our area, as

elsewhere: Housing Tenure3

Great Yarmouth

72%

20%

8%OwnerOccupier

HA/ CouncilHousing

PrivatelyRented

Waveney

80%

12.4%7.6%

OwnerOccupier

HA / CouncilHousing

PrivatelyRented

3.2 Our sub region has traditionally been an area of modest house prices,

particularly in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth where until three or four years ago, small terraced houses could be purchased for as little as £25,000. However, recent house price inflation has had a significant impact, with average house prices across the sub region up by 18% each year from 2001 to 2003. In the first 6 months of 2004 prices rose by 10%.

April to June 2001 – 2004 Price of Terraced Houses4

£40,000

£50,000

£60,000£70,000

£80,000

£90,000

£100,000

£110,000£120,000

£130,000

£140,000

2001 2002 2003 2004

Great Yarmouth

Waveney

Norw ich

3.3 Many people in our Districts have low incomes and changing

circumstances through the year, taking them in and out of Benefits payments. This means that although we still have comparatively low house

3 Census 2001 4 HM Land Registry 2004

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prices in our urban areas compared with County averages, affordability has become a major problem.

Incomes 3.4 As a result Owner Occupation is now out of reach for the majority of would

be first time buyers. A recent Housing Needs Assessment in Great Yarmouth showed that first time buyers would need an income of about £24,500 to buy a terrace house in the District and £18,500 to buy a flat; yet average gross earnings are c.£21,000 and median average household incomes only c.£13,600. In 2000 the Housing Needs Survey for Great Yarmouth estimated that 66% of concealed (new emerging) households were unlikely to be able to purchase unless they had capital or could find a small flat to buy (these are rare). In 2004, we anticipate the proportion to be closer to 88% because of the widening gap between incomes and house prices.

3.5 Development of new housing, a clear factor in house price inflation, has

exceeded County allocations in Waveney, due to the availability of major Greenfield sites, but has been far more sluggish in Great Yarmouth.

Housing Production

However, this trend may change in the future. Great Yarmouth has identified some significant sites so expect production levels to increase, whereas Waveney’s focus is increasingly on Brownfield sites, where there

5 Inland Revenue: Based on number of taxpayers in each District (2001/02) 6 New Earnings Survey: Residence-based statistics by SOC 2000 Occupation (2003) 7 CACI market research: only available for Great Yarmouth 8 Actual figure to 30/9/2004. This rate of completions would result in a 12 month projection of 318 units. The final figure is likely to be higher than this

Great Yarmouth

Waveney Eastern Region

Great Britain

mean £15 700 £17 500 N/A N/A Personal Income5 median £12 900 £17 500 N/A N/A Gross Weekly Pay6 £405.20 £390.40 £508.88 £475.80 Annual Household Income – average7

£13 674 N/A N/A N/A

Great Yarmouth Waveney Allocation Production Allocation Production

1999 261 262 335 423 2000 261 188 335 382 2001 261 185 335 430 2002 261 136 335 394 2003 261 139 335 438 2004 261 2398 338 515

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are particular constraints. We recognise there will be a need for strategic work on land assembly during these processes.

3.6 There is evidence that our lower prices are attracting buyers from adjacent

areas. House price inflation has been particularly rampant in Norwich. Estate agents and developers comment that the sub region’s markets are being affected by this phenomenon, as people on middle incomes working in Norwich seek more affordable housing within a reasonable commute. This is an issue which we particularly need to assess through sub regional work on housing markets.

3.7 There are clearly significant differences in house prices within our sub

region. The impact of second homes purchase has been particularly marked in areas like Southwold, Reydon, Halesworth and surrounding villages in Waveney. In Great Yarmouth, however, the Second Home market is still, we estimate, self-contained around purpose-built holiday homes. In a number of areas these have become cheap permanent homes for people at retirement, unfortunately with their associated problems of unsatisfactory conditions.

Private Renting 3.8 House price inflation has impacted on the private rented sector too.

Evidence from estate agents and from our own homelessness figures indicates that many small landlords have decided to sell their properties in recent years. This impacts on homelessness, as demonstrated by this chart, which shows the percentage of homelessness acceptances in Waveney and Great Yarmouth 2003/2004, where the ending of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy was given as the main reason for homelessness.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

2001/2 2002/3 2003/4

Ending of AST given as main reason for Homelessness

GreatYarmouthWaveney

3.9 Our experience is that self-contained rented accommodation is in

increasingly short supply and high demand, particularly family

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accommodation. As yet there is little or no evidence of the “buy to let” phenomenon which has become a significant business in Norwich, though agents believe it could develop in elsewhere in the future.

3.10 Rent levels in our urban areas have traditionally been Benefits dependent.

However in 2003 Great Yarmouth experienced a 12% increase on average for a 3 bedroom house during the first 9 months. There has been a further 4.3% rise to October 2004. In Waveney rent levels for a 3 bedroom house increased by 9.5% from August 2003 to August 2004. Housing Needs Assessment findings in 2000 showed that the private rented sector was not an affordable or sustainable tenure for low waged households. A more recent update indicates that this problem is even more acute now, and that households on Benefits are also having affordability problems.

3.11 The decline of our traditional holiday industry has resulted in the lapse of

many hotels and guesthouses in the Yarmouth area into permanent or semi-permanent use as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Attracting a more transient population of single people, including very vulnerable individuals, this type of accommodation raises challenging issues around housing conditions, enforcement and new investment, which are discussed below.

Social Renting 3.12 Both Authorities own housing stock which provides the main source of

Affordable Housing to rent in our areas. We work closely with Housing Associations.

Make-up of Social Housing9

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

GreatYarmouth

Waveney

Council HousingStockRegistered SocialHousing Stock

3.13 Both Councils have seen growing demand on their Housing Registers in comparison with vacancies, reflecting the increasing pressures around affordability in our area.

9 HIP Returns 2003/04

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• The average number of new applications per month to the Housing Register in Great Yarmouth in 2003/2004 was 158; yet the average vacancies per month across the District’s Social Housing stock were only 40.

• Overall Great Yarmouth currently has over 4,000 households on its common Housing Register (including private sector and transfer applications). Yet it was only able to re-house 540 households during 2003/4. Waveney currently has 2662 households on its Housing Register.

3.14 Both Authorities have had some problems in recent years with reduced

demand for older style Sheltered Housing. These are being addressed through upgrading and change-of-use (see investment below). However, the introduction of Choice Based Lettings in Great Yarmouth (under consideration by Waveney) indicates that all properties are now in demand and highly lettable.

3.15 Historically, the trend has been that demand and need were highest in our

main urban areas. However we recognise that there is likely to be hidden need within our rural areas and market towns, as evidenced by a recent Housing Needs Survey of Reydon in Waveney. Demand for properties in the rural and semi-rural areas north and south of Great Yarmouth is higher than in some urban areas where the supply of Social Housing is proportionately much greater.

3.16 Both Authorities have seen dramatic increases in the Right to Buy in recent

years, fuelled by general house price inflation and low interest rates. The main impact has been on family accommodation, particularly houses. However sales of ground floor/bungalow accommodation have also increased. In Great Yarmouth, although numbers are still small sales went up by 150% between 1998/9 and 2002/3.

Right to Buy10

66

1149185

147

83

144

107

152

112

0

50

100

150

200

1998/9 2000/1 2002/3

Great YarmouthWaveney

10 NB: Waveney 1998/9 and 1999/00 figures are unavailable and the 2003/4 figure is currently an estimate

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3.17 Though Housing Association activity has been energetic, completions are running at well below the rate of Right to Buys. In 2002/3 only 30 new units of accommodation were completed in Great Yarmouth compared with 150 Right to Buy sales.

3.18 Sales do not immediately impact on vacancy levels but over time their

effect increases. In Great Yarmouth for example, there has been a substantial reduction in “true voids” (vacancies created by former tenants leaving the sector) within the Council stock in recent years: a 16% reduction between 1998 and 2003; and a further staggering 25% by 2004.

Key Strategic Points:

• The lack of balance in our housing markets is of great concern and must be tackled.

• Though house prices are still lower in our urban areas than in neighbouring Districts, the affordability gap is increasing with rapid price inflation, and is showing in increased demand for Social Housing

• House price inflation is affected by land availability and the pace of new housing production

• There is variation in housing markets within our region but we believe we share some of the impact of rapid growth in Norwich. Much more work on housing markets is needed.

• The private rented sector is small, with self-contained properties in high demand. It is increasingly unaffordable to people on modest or low incomes. There are also considerable problems with HMOs.

• The supply of Social Housing has been eroded by the Right to Buy with the rate of new Housing Association build unable to keep pace. The majority of properties are in high demand.

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IV Housing conditions 4.1 The majority of housing across tenures in our area is in reasonable

condition. Historic properties in Waveney's market towns, our rural settlements and main urban centres add considerably to the quality of life and environment, and in some areas, carry very high property values. A substantial proportion of the housing in both Districts is comparatively modern at 40 years old or less.

4.2 However, the sub region needs significant investment to maintain and

improve the existing stock. In addition to the two Authorities’ need to continue to improve their own housing stock, we have particular challenges around the renewal and regeneration of older private sector terrace housing and empty properties in our urban areas. These are often combined with incompatible neighbouring land use, derelict sites and buildings.

Private Housing 4.3 Both Districts have considerable problems of unfitness and serious

disrepair within the private sector stock, as identified in Stock Condition surveys:11 • In Waveney, 8.2% of private sector housing is estimated to be unfit,

compared with 6% in Great Yarmouth • 17.4% of pre-1919 properties were found to be unfit in Waveney, and

13.4% in Great Yarmouth • Key problems identified in our older properties were disrepair,

dampness, poor heating and insulation, and inadequate amenities • Of Waveney’s private rented accommodation 27.6% is estimated to be

unfit, compared to 20% in Great Yarmouth. The national figure is 19.3% • 16% of Waveney’s HMOs are estimated to be unfit. Both surveys

highlight particular problems in HMOs of poor heating and insulation, risks created by inadequate safeguards and means of escape from fire, defective alarm and emergency systems and missing amenities.

• Against the Decent Homes criteria set by Government, the Waveney survey estimated that over 15% of private housing would fail.

• 30% of unfit housing was estimated in the Waveney survey to be occupied by people over 60 and on low incomes.

4.4 The recent changes in our housing markets have seen many empty

properties disposed of or brought back into use, but this still leaves many long-term vacancies which create problems of dereliction and vandalism for

11 Waveney 2002, Great Yarmouth 1999. A new survey based as closely as possible on Waveney’s format is currently being commissioned.

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neighbourhoods. This table shows the number of properties empty for 6 months or more between 2002 and 2004.

Long Term Empty Properties

Second Homes 4.5 The number of second homes in Waveney is currently 2662. Many of these

are located in Southwold and the surrounding area. This has a bearing on residents being unable to access affordable accommodation and has led to increasing house prices. In Great Yarmouth there are currently 1050 second homes. However this figure does not include the 2036 holiday chalets which are the predominant style of holiday home in Great Yarmouth.

Social Housing: Council Housing 4.6 These charts show the age profile of our Council Housing stock:

Council Housing Stock12

Great Yarmouth

8%18%

74%

Pre-war1945 to 1964Post 1964

Waveney

65%

7%28% Pre-war

1945 to 1964Post 1964

4.9 Our business plans for our stock indicate that the bulk of Council Housing

in both Districts is likely to meet the Decent Homes standard set by Government. Both Authorities estimate that the target of all properties being made decent by 2010 should be reached based on stock data and resource projections.

12 HIP Returns 2003/04

Year Waveney Great Yarmouth

2002 1545 1513 2003 1548 1482 2004 758 395

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4.10 Each Council is currently working on Stock Options Appraisals which check our own findings on stock condition and our assumptions regarding resource requirements and availability. The results will also provide objective assessments of the best way forward for our tenants, for our stock and for us as Housing Authorities.

4.11 The process may well bring to light new investment requirements as part of

the consultation process. Our main investment needs as we currently identify them, however, are for: • Work to improve and reconfigure post war flatted estates and other

properties, in consultation with tenants, in order to improve the liveability of neighbourhoods

• Work to tackle more difficult-to-let and sub-standard Sheltered Housing, through a range of solutions such as lift installation; modernisation; demolition; selective transfer to a Housing Association; upgrading to Very Sheltered Housing; alternative special needs uses

• Environmental improvements to improve security, parking and defensible spaces to improve community safety and wellbeing

• Other major repairs and improvements, such as UPVC window programmes

• Decent Homes work Social Housing: Housing Associations 4.12 Housing Association stock in our Districts ranges from modern purpose-

built stock, including sheltered and very sheltered schemes to terrace and other properties purchased as part of our empty property and renewal strategies, or in order to respond to particular needs and programmes (for example to provide special needs or temporary accommodation). None of our partner Housing Associations identifies problems in achieving the Decent Homes targets.

Key Strategic Issues

• The poorest housing conditions are in the private sector, particularly the private rented sector and HMOs. Poor internal and external conditions are particularly clustered in our older urban areas, and affect the most vulnerable groups

• Our Social Housing is well maintained and both Authorities expect to be able to meet the Decent Homes standard according to current projections. However as well as the Decent Homes standard we have major programmes centring on the renewal of particular schemes and estates and improving sustainability

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V Needs 5.1 As already discussed, significant problems of affordability have been

identified in our area. These impact dramatically on our Housing Registers. As at April 2004, there were 2150 households in need on Great Yarmouth’s Housing Register and 1919 on Waveney’s. We identify particularly high needs for • Accessible accommodation for households where there is a disabled

person • Family-sized accommodation • Larger accommodation

5.2 However, we estimate that not all households in need and with affordability

problems need Social Rented housing. House price inflation has out priced people on modest as well as low earnings which means that there may well be other Intermediate or sub-market solutions which could help. The Homebuy scheme, other shared equity approaches, shared ownership and intermediate renting may be able to assist now, whereas formerly our low average prices made such schemes less attractive. We need to develop models appropriate for our sub region.

5.3 We believe that the current design of the Government’s keyworker loans

scheme is at present too restrictive to work very effectively for our area. Such key workers as nursing auxiliaries, care assistants and Benefit staff are not currently eligible. The relevance of the scheme to eligible groups such as teachers and social workers locally may well change if the rapid rate of price rises continues.

Homelessness 5.4 Homelessness levels have risen significantly in our area, which is also a

symptom of our affordability problems.

Homelessness Applications and Acceptances 13

13 GYBC & Waveney DC Homelessness departments (2004)

Great Yarmouth Waveney Year Applications Acceptances % inc Applications Acceptances % inc

2001/2 415 238 346 226 2002/3 441 269 11.5% 437 233 3% 2003/4 522 326 17.5% 557 235 0.9%

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5.3 The most significant causes of homelessness in our Districts are the ending of private sector tenancies, and relationship breakdown:

Reasons For Homelessness (analysis of acceptances)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Personal circumstances 33 1 27 1 30 7Release from HospitalPrison

6 6 3 17 12 1

Mortgage arrears 9 12 8 4 5 5reasons other than AST n/a 16 53 10 45 3Assured shortholdtermination

62 128 56 101 52 86

Eviction by rel. 19 6 11 17 25 20Parental eviction 26 15 47 29 79 51Non violent relbreakdown

13 18 16 12 28 7

Domestic violence 43 23 48 33 49 29

G Y 2001/2

Wav 2001/2

GY 2002/3

Wav 2002/3

GY 2003/4

Wav 2003/4

5.4 This level of applications at a time of decline in social rented lettings and of

private rented accommodation has placed considerable strain on our ability to find and maintain sources of emergency and temporary accommodation.

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Total numbers placed in Temporary and Emergency Accommodation

0

50

100

150

200

250

2001/02 2002/3 2003/4

Waveney

Total no.placed inB&B

Total no.placed intemp. acc. 0

50

100

150

200

2002 2003 2004

Great Yarmouth

Total no.placed inB&B

Total no.placed intemp. acc.

Both Authorities are working pro-actively to prevent homelessness and thereby reduce the application rate, and to widen the source of supply and sustainability of temporary accommodation. However in these conditions it has been difficult to reach and maintain the Government’s new Bed and Breakfast targets.

5.5 Our Homelessness Review and Strategy (2003) demonstrate that we also

have significant problems of single homelessness in our Districts, causing strain on our local Direct Access hostels under strain. Great Yarmouth was declared a Rough Sleeper Zone a few years ago, but recent information from both areas show this is not currently a problem.

People with Support Needs 5.6 We have significant proportions of people with special needs in our

Districts, particularly in our urban areas. 5.7 We have high numbers of people with a physical disability or mobility

problem: • 21.7% of the Great Yarmouth and 20.7% of the Waveney population

identify themselves as having a long-term illness or disability compared to the national average of 18.2%14

• Our Housing Needs Surveys of 2000 identified 22.9% of households as containing someone with a disability in Waveney and 25% in Great Yarmouth.

5.8 Both Districts have rapidly ageing populations, with an increasing

proportion over the age of 75, who will need support, home adaptations and appropriate accommodation to enable them to remain independent. This trend is illustrated below:

14 2001 Census

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Population Projections 2003 - 27Great Yarmouth

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

2003 2007 2017 2027

0 - 15

16 - 24

25 - 44

45 - 64

65 - 74

75 andover

Population Projections 2003 - 27 Waveney

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

2003 2007 2017 2027

0 - 15

16 - 24

25 - 44

45 - 64

65 - 74

75 andover

5.9 We have rapidly growing demands for disabled adaptations . • In 2003/4 Great Yarmouth’s Disabled Facilities Grant budget was

overspent by 33%. More than half of the budgets for adaptations in both Council and private sector housing was committed at the start of the new financial year.

• The ending of availability of Housing Corporation grant to assist with adaptations for Housing Association tenants will have further impact.

5.10 Both Districts’ urban areas share characteristics of relatively high rates of

mental illness, substance abuse and dual diagnosis. Teenage pregnancy rates are especially high and domestic violence is a significant issue. In Great Yarmouth, homelessness due to domestic violence rose by 200% between 1997-2003. Domestic violence now accounts for about 18% of homeless acceptances in Great Yarmouth, 13% in Waveney.

5.11 Both Districts are working with Local and County partnerships as well as

their Supporting People teams to assess and progress service and accommodation priorities, and develop effective strategies.

5.12 In terms of joint priorities we have identified the need to

• Extend and develop services to vulnerable owner occupiers and tenants to help them stay in their homes safely

• Extend refuge and outreach services to victims of domestic violence • Improve housing options for people with a learning difficulty (both

Authorities are the lead District in their County for this client group)

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• Ensure good quality supported accommodation solutions for people with mental health problems, and also continue to increase outreach and floating support to people with substance abuse problems

• Reshape services and accommodation for older people to make best use of our resources and improve support options, including the use of SMART technology

With our Supporting People colleagues we have particularly identified the key areas of development and investment we can work on together as Domestic Violence issues, Floating Support services and the sharing of Home Improvement Agency work.

Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Groups 5.13 Less than 2% of the sub regional population are from BME. There is a

longstanding Greek Cypriot community in Great Yarmouth. 5.14 Great Yarmouth’s asylum seeker population which originated from Out of

Area Placements in the late 1990s has much reduced. However there are now increasing numbers of EU migrant workers. Kosovan and Portuguese migrants are beginning to form communities here. EU migrants can face accommodation problems if housing arranged by employers proves unsustainable or employment does not work out.

5.15 BME households appear to be figuring more significantly on our Housing

Registers than previously. Statistics for Great Yarmouth show that: • 5% (233) Housing Register applicants as at 1st April 2004 were BME

households • 58% (135) of these needed family dwellings • 5.76% (124) of applicants in housing need were from BME groups

Key strategic issues: • Both Districts have high levels of housing need – however, we

estimate that a small proportion of this could be met by the provision of different forms of affordable housing, not necessarily social renting

• Homelessness has risen and there are severe problems with temporary accommodation supply

• We have high levels of disability in our populations – our adaptations budgets are severely stretched. We have gaps in special needs housing provision and services, some of which we may be able to meet together

• BME households figure somewhat more in terms of housing needs than might be expected

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VI Developing a Sub Regional Strategy 6.1 In our housing strategies and business plans as individual Housing Authorities we set out analyses of conditions in our Districts in detail, and our priorities in responding to them. 6.2 We each emphasise:

• A highly pro-active partnership approach, particularly around regeneration and neighbourhood renewal. In both our areas, partnerships with the community are trying to address current inequalities with regard to health, education, child development. Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) now actively co-ordinate the range of initiatives, with housing playing a key role. We have both brought funding streams together in order to tackle rundown neighbourhoods as effectively as possible

• Strengthening of our strategic housing role, developing better assessments of our housing markets, and positioning ourselves more effectively to influence and intervene where appropriate

• Our role as efficient and customer-oriented service providers and social landlords

• Well-managed and effectively delivered investment programmes, aimed at renewing and regenerating older neighbourhoods, and creating additional affordable housing

6.3 What then can a sub regional approach offer over and above what we can

deliver as individual Housing Authorities? Some key strengths of sub regional working are clear, although we are still at an early stage of development: (1) It will give our areas a stronger position within the region. Resources

for investment in affordable housing have fallen in 2004/5 because of the priorities given to growth areas. Our sub region needs a fair share of investment, and we need to make our targets clear and demonstrate that we can achieve them given the right levels of resource

(2) It will give us a much better understanding of our housing markets and housing needs. We are very familiar with these issues in microcosm, but we need to be aware of the bigger picture

(3) It will help us to widen our partnership working across housing, economic and planning approaches to optimise the regeneration of neighbourhoods and improve the balance of our housing markets

(4) It will enable us to create new delivery vehicles and attract new partners and resources, to help regenerate our worst areas

(5) It will also enable us to share good practice and, where appropriate, to share undertakings and service provision

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6.4 Many strategic issues or aspects of service provision will continue to be better tackled locally or on a County basis. Some issues may not be able to be dealt with sub regionally yet, given our separate County and governance structures.

6.5 The next section sets out to identify issues where sub regional work will

add value to our efforts. It draws out common themes and issues which have emerged in the analysis set out in the earlier sections, and identifies key areas which will benefit from joint action.

6.6 In doing so, we have also had in mind the priorities and themes emerging

from the Regional Housing Strategy, as it has developed. These strategic aims are: • To ensure everyone can live in a decent home at an affordable price • To contribute effectively to social inclusion within sustainable

communities • To enable housing to contribute fully to promote health equality and

ensure good health • To use housing investment to complement sustainable economic

development • To contribute to a sustainable environment

6.7 Investment themes and priorities for the Regional Housing Board are likely

to be: • Growth • Regeneration • Homelessness and Housing Needs • Key workers • Rural needs • Special Needs • Existing stock • BME groups

Our priorities for investment and joint work are particularly with regeneration – for us, this theme cuts across most of the other categories too. We also have significant investment needs around existing stock and (though to a lesser extent) with regard to the rural, supported housing and BME themes.

6.8 We are also taking into account the developing Regional Spatial Strategy.

The recently completed Affordable Housing Study for the region, whose conclusions will form the basis for a key element of the RSS, states that at least 30% of new housing production should be affordable housing; and 40% in areas of particular stress. Local housing strategies and

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development plans must also seek to ensure that an adequate pool of Social Housing remains available to meet Local needs. These objectives are reflected in this document, and will be central to the next stage of our work on investment requirements.

6.9 Having identified key issues for action, we have developed them into an

action plan which will be developed, revised and updated annually. We are also putting together an investment programme for our area in the next 3 years. This will require additional detailed work and revision as the context within which we work changes, and as the capacity of sub regional partnerships develop.

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VII Priorities for our sub regional strategy ACTION 1: Progressing regeneration and neighbourhood renewal investment and partnership 7.1 Our areas share problems of economic decline and dislocation, together

with run down neighbourhoods and deprivation. We also have severe needs for more affordable housing. We believe these two issues need to be tackled as one, wherever possible. We will • Develop partnerships as vehicles for neighbourhood regeneration,

where we see housing as having a key role • Work together to attract funds and investment to our area from a range

of sources • Ensure that regional funding for investment in existing housing and new

housing on brownfield land is maximised • Share good practice in supporting sustainable communities and

neighbourhood partnerships – for example, resident participation, Anti-Social Behaviour and equal opportunities

• Look at how we might develop joint approaches to land assembly, the production of affordable housing (including quality and design standards) and its allocation, where appropriate

• Work with partners to develop a “read-across” between the approaches and priorities of our Local Strategic Partnerships, Primary Care Trusts and County Councils

• Review together our approaches to empty properties and the Private Sector

• Develop the capacity to respond to changes in regional capital allocation methods (in particular, the possible move to sub regional allocations)

ACTION 2: Improve the balance of our housing markets 7.2 Our analysis of housing trends shows that our sub region suffers from the

effects of house price inflation in a generally low income area, together with poor conditions and instability in the private sector. It is also likely that we will be increasingly affected by rapid growth in Norwich. We will work together to • Improve information on how our housing markets work and how they

vary, for example between urban, market town and rural areas, and how they are affected by adjacent markets. We will also share information on housing conditions and land availability

• Maximise investment to improve housing conditions and the availability of affordable housing options

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• Work together on intermediate and sub market models to improve affordability, together with other housing options

• Develop our local planning frameworks together/co-operatively in response to regional planning requirements and priorities for housing production

• Work together to improve targets, practice and outcomes on Section106 agreements

• Share approaches to improving standards and stability in the private rented sector

• Where appropriate develop shared approaches and services on “staying put” and prevention – for example, through a Home Improvement Agency

ACTION 3: Working together to help tackle homelessness and respond to special needs 7.3 Our assessment indicates how sharply homelessness has risen in our

area, and the extent to which support needs for vulnerable groups are paralleled. These issues need to be tackled at local level to respond to accommodation, prevention and support needs within communities, and our responses will be shaped by Local and County services and arrangements. There are a number of areas where we can work more effectively together and share good practice. • A sub regional housing market and needs assessment will give our

service planning at local level a firmer basis • Ensuring that we attract funding for regeneration and affordable homes

will help to provide more housing solutions • We need to jointly represent to the Region and the Housing Corporation

our continued need for assistance with providing a supply of temporary accommodation

• We have identified particular areas where we can begin work together with our County Supporting People teams, for example on joint Home Improvement Agency development; the development of Floating Support and Domestic Violence services

ACTION 4: Developing our sub regional identity and our capacity to work as a sub region 7.4 Our analysis indicates the complex nature of our housing needs, which are

inextricably linked with our economic and social problems. The scale and similarity of these issues and our difficulties individually in responding to

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them underlines the need for joint action. Yet we are constrained by our separate County structures and identities.

7.5 We will therefore take steps to develop our sub regional identity and

capacity by • Ensuring that we have appropriate structures in place to take forward

sub regional work • Drawing in a wide range of partners and stakeholders to progress a

clear vision for our sub region • Undertaking sub regional housing market and housing needs

assessments so that we understand the nature of our housing markets, needs and trends better

• Working across sub regional themes – economic, planning and housing – so that mutual benefits are maximised

• Developing sub regional regeneration partnerships, particularly through the Urban Regeneration Company (URC)

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VIII Conclusion 8.1 This strategy is a first for our sub region, although we have contributed a

sub regional statement to the previous Regional Housing Strategy. The strategy will now need to evolve and gather strength and momentum as the two Districts and their stakeholder partners gain greater understanding of common problems and issues, and greater confidence in the potential to attract investment and to ensure delivery.

8.2 An action plan has been developed by the partnership, working on the key

objectives and areas for action set out above. Its progress and development will be key to making the strategy have impact. As explained above, an investment plan will be produced to contribute to the regional housing investment plan.

8.3 Finally, what makes our sub region distinct is not just the scale of our

problems – and these are some of the most severe and challenging in the region – but our particular capacity and potential to work across professional perspectives and geographical boundaries. Much work has already been done, particularly around forging partnerships for regeneration. We have the advantage of being a relatively small and compact sub region, capable of developing appropriate structures and progressing clear plans together.

8.4 Above all, we have a clear focus on regeneration and on east coast revival

– this is crucial in view of the degree of housing need and deprivation of so many local people in this area.