Evidence base

What Is It?

Having a robust housing evidence base is key to securing a sound local plan and for making a convincing case for funding to support essential infrastructure. To this end, we are procuring a new South Essex Housing Needs Assessment in 2021/22.

What Are We Doing?

Turley and Edge Analytics have been commissioned to deliver the study in three stages commencing summer 2021, completing in 2022:

Stage 1: Context and Housing Market Analysis

Stage 2: Establishing Overall Housing Need

Stage 3: Establishing the Need for Different Types of Housing

Progress including presentations from Stage 1 & 2 are set out below. Further updates will be added to this page as the study progresses.  A document store is also available on the website to view wider housing related evidence.

Stage 1 Workshop was arranged via Teams on 1 December, 10.30-12.00 to discuss the housing market analysis, further details can be found below.

Stage 2 Workshop took place via Teams on 26 May and looked at the overall housing number, plus the size and type of housing required including a separate calculation of affordable housing need. The needs of different groups will also be considered.

The new assessment (expected late summer 2022) will update the current Strategic Housing Market Assessment in 2016 and Addendum in 2017. This originally identified the housing need as being between 3,750 and 4,000 homes per annum between 2014 and 2037 (the new assessment will extend this period up to 2040).  Using the new Standard Method of calculating housing (introduced December 2020), the current assessment suggests a minimum of 4,691 per annum will be required with the inclusion of Brentwood in the housing market area.

Quarterly Housing Market Trend reports also monitor the latest house prices, rent and other market indicators based on Hometrack’s online Housing Intelligence System. They look at national trends and lower quartile house prices across South Essex by local authority area. The reports act as a supplement to the above South Essex SHMA and new South Essex Housing Needs Assessment (SEHNA).

Key Links to Further Information

South Essex Housing Needs Assessment 2021/22

Stage 1 Workshop presentation 1 December

Stage 2 Workshop presentation 26 May

South Essex SHMA

Until the new Housing Needs Assessment has been published, the current SHMA and previous assessments going back to back to 2008 can be found below.

South Essex Housing Market Trends Reports

You can read the latest editions below along with archived April editions going back to 2010. We use Hometrack’s online Housing Intelligence System for the latest housing market data. See: http://www.hometrack.com/