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Affordable Housing

Local Housing Group

We have a Local Housing Group whose ambition is to promote more affordable housing in the parish. If you would like to learn more about the group, please visit the Patterdale Community Land Trust website ( https://patterdaleclt.org/ ) or contact Maddy Teasdale on 017684 82534.

Patterdale Housing Need Survey - Summary Report - November 2018

The Patterdale Housing Need Survey took place over a 4 month period, commencing January 2018 and utilised a mix of secondary data sources (such as Cumbria Choice and Rightmove) and a self-completion questionnaire. The questionnaire received an encouraging response rate of 48% and the project identified a requirement for affordable housing in the parish, particularly for young people and small families.

The findings revealed that affordability is a problem for many residents, particularly those wishing to set up home for the first time. The survey identified that the mean house price in the parish is 9.8 times the mean annual household income. 23% of respondents (25 participants) expressed a need or wish to move to a different property within the Patterdale Parish in the next 5 years. Of the participants expressing a requirement to move, 36% (9 participants) would be eligible for some form of affordable housing (based on the information given as part of this survey). Households who wish to rent rather than purchase a property also face limited accommodation options within the parish. At the time of analysing the secondary data (March/April 2018) there were no properties available to rent on either a private or social rental type.

The data produced from this study suggests not all of the residents’ housing requirements are being met by the current available options and further development may remedy this (particularly of suitable affordable housing options).The survey also revealed it may be advantageous to increase the awareness of various affordable housing products amongst the residents of Patterdale, to ensure there is adequate understanding of any affordable properties that may become available in the future.

The participants of the 2018 Patterdale Housing Need Survey identified properties are most needed in the Parish for young people and small families. Only 9% (10 participants) of those taking part in the survey expressed the view that no further homes are required.

November 2018 Press Release:

Community group takes on Patterdale housing affordability

A group of local people in Glenridding and Patterdale are finding solutions to housing problems in the parish. They recently commissioned a Housing Needs Survey which was very well supported by the community, with half of all households in the area taking part (number of properties in the area with permanent residents surveyed totalled 220).

The survey results provided a strong indication of the level of affordable housing need in the area, showing that at least nine households are in need of affordable housing in the parish, with 25 in total needing or wanting to move within the next five years.

The group are now taking action in response to the survey results, with support from Eden District Council’s Community Housing Fund.

The group are forming the Patterdale Parish Community Land Trust, which will enable them to plan new housing within the Parish

Community Land Trusts (CLT) are set up and run by groups of local people and are a way for them to provide what they feel their community needs – funding is available for them to develop new housing, and they can provide other things including community shops, pubs or workspaces.

Maddy Teasdale has been a member of the community group since they started work on the project and is Chair of the Community Land Trust.

Maddy said: “The formation of the CLT is the result of several years of work, and the survey results are evidence of the problem of the lack of affordable housing in our community. Around 40% of the houses in our parish are second homes or holiday lets, and house prices and private rents are unaffordable for most people here. We need to keep our young people living and working in the dale, and with the CLT we will be able to provide affordable, local needs housing that will help to keep our community sustainable and vibrant.

The group would be keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in being part of the CLT. Community Land Trusts are set up by and on behalf of the local community, and work well when they involve people with a range of skills and experience.

Eden District Council’s Deputy Director of Environmental Services, Robert Docherty, said: “I am delighted to see the positive impact funding the Council has received from the government is making to address housing needs brought forward by local communities. I hope more communities will come forward to access the funding to help research and develop their housing needs.”

To get in touch with the Patterdale Parish Community Land Trust, please contact: Maddy Teasdale on 017684 82534, or message the group on the Facebook page ‘Ullswater Affordable Housing Group’.

For more information about the Community Housing Fund visit www.eden.gov.uk/housing/community-housing-fund or contact Eden District Council’s Housing Team on 01768 817817 or email: housing.services@eden.gov.uk

ULLSWATER AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROUP

Minutes of the Meeting of the Affordable Housing Group held on 13th March 2017 in Glenridding Public Hall at 7pm.

PRESENT: Cllr Maddy Teasdale (in the Chair)

APOLOGIES: None

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Andy Lloyd (CLT), Ben Long (LDNPA Planner) 11 public

1. Maddy Teasdale opened the meeting and outlined issues contained within the report she had circulated.

2. Andy Lloyd provided a handout to the meeting and gave a resume of the issues to be considered and the actions needed to further an Ullswater Community Land Trust. He quoted figures on the loss of Council Housing and also the impact of the Right to Buy on affordable rented accommodation.

3. Ben Long spoke on LDNPA policies towards the provision of rented affordable housing in the Park and specifically addressed local issues relating to Patterdale Parish. Only where there is identifiable local need will approval be given. Land owned by LDNPA could be made available as a possibility. Constraints include the price of land, access, landscape issues and flooding. The needs of the community can outweigh the right to green space.

4. Andy Lloyd suggested that the way forward is to set up a sub group under the auspices of the Parish Council who could then identify support, set up a steering group for a possible CLT and engage a professional consultant who will work with the group to further its aims. Government funding has been given to Eden District Council to enable the provision of affordable rented accommodation within its area and any CLT with a positive idea can bid for this money.

The Meeting agreed that this should be taken to the next Parish Council meeting to progress the idea of a community housing sub group.

The meeting closed at 1940.

Government Awards Eden £938,000 Affordable Housing Boost

January 2017 - Eden District Council has been awarded £938,640 from the government’s Community Housing Fund. The money granted from this Fund aims to create more housing in areas where the impact of second homes is particularly acute and housing prices outstrip local household incomes.

Eden District Council’s Leader, Councillor Kevin Beaty, said: “We are delighted that our bid to the government’s Community Housing Fund has been successful. We will be working on proposals for how we can best use this funding straightaway and we hope to bring these before a meeting of full Council in due course.”

The government’s £60 million Community Housing Fund aims to enable local communities to deliver affordable housing units of mixed tenure on sites which may not be of interest to mainstream housing developers and will thereby contribute to the overall national effort to boost housing supply. The funding is allocated between local authorities proportionate to the number of holiday homes in the local area and taking account of the affordability of housing to local people.

Eden District Council’s Housing and Health Portfolio Holder, Councillor Lesley Grisedale, said: “The delivery of new housing is a priority for Eden District Council and this funding is a welcome boost. In Eden, we currently have 945 people seeking social housing through the Cumbria Choice Based Lettings Scheme and around 1,900 second/holiday homes. House prices in Eden are amongst the highest in Cumbria. The average household income in 2012 was £25,458 and average house price £183,866, outstripping household income levels by around 7.2%, making the local housing market inaccessible for many families.”

The £60 million Community Housing Fund will enable capital investment, technical support and revenue to be provided to make more housing schemes viable and significantly increase the number of units coming forward via community groups.

High Court ruling welcomed by housing campaigners

Two local authorities have successfully challenged the government’s decision to exempt developers from providing affordable housing on schemes with fewer than 10 homes. Before the successful challenge, the recently-introduced exemption meant that housebuilders did not need to include affordable homes in planning applications of 10 homes or less. It also meant that in developments of five houses or less, housebuilders did not have to make a contribution to the affordable housing pots of councils.