Housing strategy

Housing stock

According to the council tax base form (2020) there are 56,479 dwellings. Of these there are:

• 70% owner occupied

• 11% privately rented

• 19% social rented

727 were empty (461 for more than 6 months)

Private sector dwellings

9.5% (4,156) of private sector dwellings and 12.7% (730) of private rented dwellings are estimated to have low levels of energy efficiency with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating below band E.

7,276 private sector dwellings exhibited category 1 hazards.

Housing needs

Estimated that:

• 4% of households within the borough are unable to afford a market rented property

• 22% are unable to purchase from the open market

• there is a net need for affordable housing (rented housing)

In 2019, 8,873 units of general needs housing were managed by RSL Properties Ltd as well as 124 units of supported housing.

Minimum local housing needs

A minimum local housing need, of 355 per annum has been identified for the borough for the following size of properties:

• 1 bed - 13%

• 2 beds - 31%

• 3 beds - 43%

• 4 beds - 13%

• house - 73%

• bungalow - 13%

• flat - 15%