Affordable housing
The lack of affordable housing is a national issue, but the need is even more acute in the National Park.
So why don't you build more houses?
We do not build houses. But as the organisation responsible for planning in the Lake District National Park, we try to make sure new buildings or conversions are of a type needed by people who live and work locally.
We do this through:
- our planning policies
- consulting local communities about their needs. For example we're surveying parishes to find out how many affordable homes are needed and asking the public if they have viable land for development, such as the Windermere Housing Needs Survey (opens Document Library)
- Asking our Development Control staff to work closely with local housing groups to find out what's needed.
- Being involved in Cumbria's 'Fit For Purpose' Housing Strategy. This is the first in the country and makes sure planning, transport and economic development and housing strategies complement each other.
What does 'local occupancy' mean?
This sometimes appears in estate agents' adverts. It means that the house can be sold to a person who is employed, about to be employed or was last employed locally. And also people who have lived locally for three years or more.
Policies 20-22 of the Structure Plan may be of interest to you, together with Demonstrating Housing Need in the National Park - final version (opens Document Library).
Facts and figures
- In 2008, our Development Control Committee approved the building of 65 affordable homes
- Average house price in the National Park in 2004 was £160,000 (Land Use Consultants, Sept 2004)
- Average household income in the National Park in 2004 was £23,000 (Land Use Consultants, Sept 2004)
- 17.68 per cent of houses in National Park are second homes or holiday homes (Census 2001)
- In some areas this is even greater, for example in Coniston 43 per cent of housing is second homes or holiday homes (Coniston Parish Plan)
- If more than 25 per cent of housing is second homes, this starts to have a negative impact on a rural community (Blenkinship and Gibbons report, 2003)
What issues affect the Lake District in particular?
- Low wage levels leading to a gap between local incomes and house prices
- High proportion of second home ownership
- An increase in commuter homes and retirement homes
- Shortage of land available for development
- High price of building land
- The need for quality design and use of materials sympathetic to the National Park to fit in with the surrounding environment
I want to build a new house or development. What do I need to know?
Read the Supplementary Planning Document Demonstrating Housing Need in the National Park - final version (opens Document Library)
Housing associations
Much of the new housing to be developed over the next 5 years or so is likely to be built by Housing Associations. These associations also have properties to rent or buy a share in. Local associations include (all links open in new window):
