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 procured a new South Essex Housing Needs Assessment in 2021-22.

What Are We Doing?

Turley and Edge Analytics were 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

The assessment updated the 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 extends 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 going back to 2010 were also produced to monitor house prices, rent and other market indicators based on Hometrack’s online Housing Data Hub.

More recently, individual local authorities have been updating their housing need assessments in response to changes to the NPPF and Standard Method of Calculation as part of the local plan making process.

Key Links to Further Information

South Essex Housing Needs Assessment, June 2022 

Stage 1 Workshop presentation 1 December 2021

Stage 2 Workshop presentation 26 May 2022

South Essex SHMAs

Previous Strategic Housing Market Assessments going back to back to 2008 can be found below (scroll down to 2017).

South Essex Housing Market Trends Reports

You can read historic editions below going back to 2010.

Think Housing Reports

Thinkhouse is a repository of housing research, latest publications include:

• UK Housing Review 2023 from the Chartered Institute of Housing, April 2023
• Trying times – How people living in poor quality housing have fared during the cost of living crisis,  April 2023
• State of Play: Challenges and opportunities facing SME builders, March 2023
• Still in Limbo – Why the use of Temporary Accommodation must end,  Shelter, March 2023