Housing Needs Surveys

The process for Housing Needs Surveys for Parish Councils

To establish whether a need for affordable housing exists in a village and what size, type and tenure people need, RCCE's RHE will work closely with the Parish Council to undertake a housing needs survey. This is a questionnaire which is distributed to each household in the parish asking for details on their current and future housing need. Establishing what your local housing need is will enable your parish to ensure that as a community you are able to plan ahead for future housing provision for those with a strong local connection, should a need be identified. In Essex we are seeing parishes on the second or third scheme as their first proved so successful. We have also conducted housing needs surveys for Neighbourhood Development Plans, helping them influence local connection priority on their more strategic developments and support Community Led Housing groups assess their local housing need in support of their own projects.

We would welcome an opportunity to discuss affordable housing and housing needs surveys in more detail and to answer any questions that may arise. To find out more, please contact Laura Atkinson, the Rural Housing Enabler, on either 01376 574330 or by e-mail at laura.atkinson@essexrcc.org.uk