The GRCC Housing Needs Survey Results Meeting was held on Tuesday 30th September 2024 at 7:00pm in the Village Hall.
Present: Sarah Walker (GRCC), Cllr Tim Jeans (Chair), Cllr Fiona Jacovides, Cllr Jane Fenton, Catherine Morgan (Clerk), approximately 25 members of the public
Sarah Walker, Rural Housing Enabler for GRCC (Gloucestershire Rural Community Council), presented the results of the Housing Needs Survey conducted in Eastleach in May 2024 and answered questions regarding the significance of these results. The results of the survey are deemed valid for up to five years.
According to the 2021 census, the Parish of Eastleach has a population of 307 residents. The survey was sent to 190 households and they had a return rate of 31%, which is deemed good for this type of survey.
The highest proportion of respondents were from two-person households and the largest proportion of residents is in the age group 55-70.
The results of the Housing Needs Survey in conjunction with the Homeseeker Plus register (a choice-based letting scheme, which allows anyone who qualifies for the register to apply for social rented and low-cost private rented properties) show that there are 12 households seeking social or affordable rented dwellings in Eastleach.
Twelve respondents to the survey expressed an interest in becoming involved in a community-led housing scheme, demonstrating a good level of enthusiasm for this approach.
More details of the results of the Housing Needs Survey can be obtained by contacting Sarah Walker: sarahw@grcc.org.uk.
Next steps
The survey has identified a housing need in the Parish. The PC will arrange a meeting with GRCC, the ECT, and a housing association to better understand the potential options for this. GRCC can identify possible land where new houses could be built, based on the list of suggestions made in the responses to the survey. This list would be then submitted to the District Council to explore the planning potential/limitations of these sites and to identify a site that could be taken forward.
At this point either a potential registered provider (housing association) can be brought in or a community-led approach could be adopted, which would retain more control within the Parish including the number/design of the houses that are actually built, the people benefitting from them being genuinely local and that any profits arising are invested back into the community.
Additionally, neighbouring parishes are being encouraged to work together to create projects that will serve all of their needs. All of the CHEQS villages will have completed the Housing Needs Survey by early 2025, so there is an opportunity for the villages to work together on this.