New Study Details Borough’s Housing Options Until 2031

Published on: 3 Oct, 2013
Updated on: 4 Oct, 2013

Cllr Monika Juneja – lead councillor for planning and governance

How many new homes does Guildford need? This is a key question being addressed by the council as it begins its public consultation on the new Local Plan.

They have released a document entitled ‘How Many New Homes?‘ examining the possible ways to determine the number of new homes we need to plan for in the borough up until 2031.

The study sets out the range of information sources that will help the council to decide. It looks into the factors that might cause the population to increase, such as household growth and migration.

Eleven options are identified in the paper ranging from:

“3,620 to 4,520 homes (an average of 181 to 226 a year). This housing number is based on an assumption that only the same number of people would move into Guildford borough as move out of the borough.”

to,

“23,446 homes (an average of 1,066 a year). This housing number is based on a housing needs assessment model for meeting all of our existing and forecasted future need for affordable homes in the borough to 2031.”

Also included is information from other recent council documents such as the Employment Land Assessment (ELA), which looks at the number of new jobs needed in the borough over the lifetime of the new Local Plan and the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), which looked at the number of people in housing need.

The council is keen to stress that it has yet to determine a definitive number for the housing increase needed in the borough and that they will only make decisions following their consultation with Guildford residents.

In a statement, Cllr Monika Juneja, lead councillor for planning and governance said: “We will continue to gather information on the available options through the forthcoming consultation and consider the new household projections when they are published.

“Understanding the future needs of our borough is a complex task, and we are working hard to lay out as many options as possible.

“One thing we do know is that as the population of our borough continues to grow, the building of new homes will be crucial to supporting the local economy. No growth is not an option. What we need to do is understand how best we can grow as a community, and plan that growth properly.

“With the best possible understanding of the options available to us, we can make sure our housing and infrastructure grows in the right place, at the right time.”

Current levels of population growth put pressure on the existing stock of houses, as well as on existing infrastructure and services like roads and schools. The study suggests a balance will be needed between providing for the community while mitigating any social and environmental effects of building more homes.

The How Many New Homes? study and the latest evidence base information can be viewed at www.guildford.gov.uk/evidencebase

Responses to New Study Details Borough’s Housing Options Until 2031

Jim Allen Reply

October 3, 2013 at 11:43 pm

I do not agree with the way the housing problem has been presented in this document, which I have read in full.

In my book a ‘home’ is where you want to live; a ‘house’ is just a structure built by a developer for profit.

Of course, there will be an almost always be an unlimited demand for social housing. If we build, say, a thousand social houses they will be occupied, probably very quickly, but if we were to put the same number on the market we would not necessarily find ready buyers because they won’t be able to afford them.

We cannot simply measure what people want but what they really need and can afford.

So folks you decide do you want ‘houses’ or ‘homes’ and don’t forget to let the council know.