This page gives a brief outline of Suffolk Coastal's housing
strategies and some of the major studies commissioned. The
Council's strategies link in with other local, sub regional and
regional strategies - the main ones of which are listed below:
Follow this link for help with downloading and opening PDF files.
Housing strategies and studies
Tackling Fuel Poverty in the Suffolk Coastal District -
December 2008
This report decribes what is meant by 'fuel poverty' and
identifies the groups of people who can be affected by it. The
document looks at the number of households likely to be in fuel
poverty in the district and the main reasons for this occurring. It
also identifies which agencies could help Suffolk Coastal target
these groups to develop an effective referral scheme and sets out a
proposed action plan to address fuel poverty in the district.
Strategic Housing Market Assessment - November 2008 & June
2009
In November 2007, Suffolk Coastal, Babergh and Mid Suffolk
district councils and Ipswich Borough Council commissioned
a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) in the
Ipswich Housing Market Area to help inform their planning and
housing policies and emerging
Local Development Frameworks. The final SHMA
report was published in November 2008 and a study of affordable
housing viability was published in June 2009.
An SHMA is a piece of research aimed at estimating housing need
and demand. All types of housing are considered, including social
rented housing, intermediate housing (shared equity and other
Homebuy options), private rented housing and home ownership.
You can read the SHMA research brief, key findings report and
full report by following the links below:
Beware large file - we suggest that you
download larger files to your computer rather than trying to view
them in your web browser. Follow this link for
help with
downloading and opening PDF files.
Homelessness Review and Strategy 2008
Under the Homelessness Act 2002, housing authorities were
required to publish their first homelessness strategies
by July 2003. The Act also states that a new strategy, based
on the results of a homelessness review, should be published within
5 years of the first one.
The aim of the review was to gauge the extent of homelessness in
the district, assess future need, and establish what is currently
being done and by whom, to prevent and tackle homelessness. The
final section of the document sets out the strategic aims the
review identified and proposes an action plan to address those
aims.
Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2007
Since 1959 local authorities have been able to give grants to
owner occupiers, landlords and tenants for the repair adaptation or
improvement of private homes in their area. In July 2003 all
existing legislation relating to grants, with the exception of
mandatory disabled facilities grants, was revoked. From this date
local authorities were required to develop and publish their own
policy framework for providing assistance to the private
sector.
The Private Sector Housing Renewal strategy sets out Suffolk
Coastal’s policy for making grants available for the repair,
adaptation or improvement of private homes in the district and its
responsibilities for monitoring the general standard of properties
in the area (including vacant properties) and energy
efficiency.
The Suffolk Coastal Local Housing Assessment 2006
The Local Housing Assessment is a major study drawn up for the
Council by Opinion Research Services that looked at how many more
homes are needed over the next five years and what can be done to
improve existing properties. It is based on information gained from
over 1,500 residents and from national and local sources during
Spring 2006.
Housing Strategy Statement 2004