4. Meeting the Need for New Homes

4.1 Provision of sufficient housing is critical to meet the needs of a growing population and for the effective functioning of local economies.

4.2 The North Essex authorities are committed to plan positively for new homes and to significantly boost the supply of housing to meet the needs of the area, including the need to provide a workforce for forecast jobs. To meet the requirements of national policy to establish the number and type of new homes, the authorities commissioned Peter Brett Associates to produce an Objectively Assessed Housing Need Study building on earlier work. This was first published in July 2015 and updated in November 2016. It meets the requirements of the NPPF to prepare a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA).

4.3 Detailed analysis in the report suggests that a Housing Market Area comprising Braintree, Colchester, Chelmsford and Tendring Council areas forms a sound basis for assessing housing need.

4.4 Demographic projections are the starting point for assessing how much housing will be required across an area. Based on 2014 national projections covering the period 2013 to 2037, the conclusion reached is that the objectively assessed need across the Housing Market Area is 2,999 new homes a year over the period 2013 – 2037. The total requirement across north Essex, excluding Chelmsford City Council's area, is 2,186 new homes per year.

4.5 This figure includes a figure of 550 new homes per year for Tendring. Calculation of housing need in the District is complicated by uncertainty arising from unattributed population change (UPC).

4.6 Evidence on overall levels of affordable housing provision elsewhere in the Districts   will be set out in more detail within the individual Local Plans and will take account of identified needs.  Garden Communities need to be mixed and balanced communities and will be expected to provide 30% affordable housing. 

4.7 Each Garden Community will be expected to provide suitable sites for Gypsies and Travellers. Additional requirements for sites to meet District wide needs will be set out in Section Two of each District/Borough Local Plan.