Peterborough sub-regional strategic housing market assessment
 
The scope of the project
 
Strategic Housing Market Assessments (SHMAs) are cross-boundary studies of how housing markets are working.  They are important documents for spatial planning, local and regional housing strategies, private developers and enabling new affordable housing.  There are also links with economic development.
 
SHMAs do not in themselves make policy, but they are a very important part of the evidence base.  They will, for instance, inform strategic land availability studies, Local Development Frameworks and the development of regional and sub-regional housing policy.
 
Strategic Housing Market Assessments take place across Housing Market Areas (HMAs).  Housing markets are complex and a balance needs to be struck between truly reflecting the geographic 'edge' of markets (as far as they can be determined) and the administrative convenience of not dividing Districts or Unitary Authorities into more than one market area.  This has been achieved through:
 
  • incorporating the three local authorities in the 'Peterborough Partial HMA' that was defined by the East Midlands Regional Assembly (South Holland, South Kesteven and Rutland)
  • incorporating the whole of Peterborough City Council's area
  • carrying out 'overlap' modelling for parts of East Northamptonshire, Fenland and Huntingdonshire which are strongly influenced by Peterborough's housing market, but which were already included in other HMAs
  • sub-area analysis allowing local trends, needs and demands to be studied across different sub-areas within districts
  • analysis of the needs of a wide range of specific groups both across the HMA and by district
  • special analysis of Peterborough as part of the Cambridge Stansted Peterborough Growth Area
  • special analysis of the position of the Growth Point of Grantham within the HMA
  • special analysis of the role of rural wards within the HMA
 
The project was administered through a Steering Group consisting of:
 
  • Cambridgeshire County Council
  • East Midlands Regional Assembly
  • East Northamptonshire District Council
  • Fenland District Council
  • Housing Corporation
  • Huntingdonshire District Council
  • Lincolnshire County Council
  • Peterborough City Council
  • Rutland County Council
  • South Holland District Council
  • South Kesteven District Council
 
The Steering Group greatly appreciated the assistance received from the consultants Fordham Research (who have undertaken the core analysis and prepared the reports), wider stakeholders and local residents.
 
Final documents
 
All final documents are available: 
 
This briefing note is written by the Steering Group.  It aims to introduce the final reports prepared by Fordham Research (who were awarded the contract through a formal tendering process with a detailed specification produced by the Steering Group). 
 
The reports do include 'Summary' sections at the end of each chapter.  Detailed information on the methodologies used are included in the reports.
 
The documents provided are:
 
  • the Stage One reports for Peterborough, Rutland and South Holland
  • the Stage Two report, entitled 'Peterborough Sub-Regional Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008'
  • the Appendix to the Stage 2 report
  • the Executive Summary of the Stage 2 report
 
The Stage One reports are broadly the equivalent of the traditional housing needs survey.  They are based largely on a postal survey, supported by secondary data.  South Kesteven carried out a housing needs survey with Fordham Research in 2005 and the report has been included alongside the final documents for reference purposes only.
 
The Stage Two report covers the whole of the HMA and is a broader assessment of housing needs and housing markets.  This uses a wide range of secondary data as well as survey data from Stage 1 and other research.  Chapter 27 is a "Review of results in context".
 
The reports are lengthy and wide-ranging but, in the view of the partnership, the key findings of the Stage Two report include:
 
  • an acceptance that the principle of a housing market geographically centred around Peterborough is sound, but recognising that the Grantham area and Rutland are relatively self-contained
  • broad support for the housing numbers and affordable housing targets in draft RSS8 (the East Midland Regional Plan), whilst suggesting a slightly different balance of development
  • broad support for housing growth in Peterborough with the assistance of urban extensions and for the affordable housing targets in the Draft East of England Plan
  • a high level of affordable housing need throughout the HMA, primarily for social rented housing, but with some need identified for affordable housing for sale provided that it is "usefully affordable" for the households concerned
  • there are significant levels of need amongst black and minority ethnic communities, including migrant workers
  • most people work fairly close to home, but there is nonetheless a definite pattern of in-commuting to Peterborough and out-commuting from some areas
  • Peterborough has a younger population compared with the rest of the HMA
  • people generally prefer to buy, but will often rent if they have to

 

These are shown above as very broad trends and much more specific information is in the reports
 
There was a public consultation period on the reports which ended at 5pm on Thursday 31, January 2008 and subsequent amendments were included in the reports after careful consideration of the feedback received.
Peterborough City Council. Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough, PE1 1QT - (01733) 747474 - DX12310 Peterborough 1