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LANDSCAPE Responding to the Challenge

2013 2018

Wrexham Local Housing Strategy

THE NEW HOUSING

CONTENTS PAGE

1 Introduction 3 Local Housing Strategy 2013 – 2018 4 Roles and Responsibilities for Delivering the Strategy 5

2 Policy Framework – Building Sustainable Communities 6 Setting the Scene 6 National Housing Strategy 6 Essex Review 7 A) Housing and Planning 7 B) Rent Policy 7 Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan 2012 7 The Council Plan and the Wrexham Plan 9 Welfare Reform 9 Wrexham’s Economic Prosperity Strategy 2012 16 9 Building Sustainable Communities 11

3 The Demographic Profile – Building an Evidence Base 14 Housing Tenure 19 The Housing Waiting List and Homelessness 21 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation 22 Gypsies and Travellers in Bricks and Mortar 22

4 Theme 1 More Housing More Choice 24 Affordable Housing 26 Small Properties Grant 26 Affordable Homeownership Register 26 Buying a House 26 Shared Ownership / Shared Equity 26 Discounted for Sale / Low Cost Homeownership 27 Renting a Home in the Private Sector 27 Renting a House in the Social Rented Sector 28 To Deliver More Housing More Choice – We Will: 29

5 Theme 2 Improving Homes and Communities 30 Preventing Disrepair and Raising the Quality of Housing 30 Brymbo Broughton and South West Wrexham Renewal Areas 31 Empty Properties 32 Tackling Fuel Poverty 33 Private Rented Sector 34 Wrexham Council’s Housing Stock 35 To Improve Homes and Communities – We Will: 35

02 Wrexham Local Housing Strategy

6 Theme 3 Better Services to Improve People’s Lives 36 Providing Fair and Equal Access to Quality Housing and Services 36 The Supporting People Programme 36 Disabled Facilities Grants 37 Homeless Provision 37 Gypsy and Travellers Service Needs 38 Housing for Older People 39 Extra Care 39 Sheltered Housing 40 Visiting Warden Service 40 To Provide Better Services to Improve People’s Lives – We Will 41

Appendix 1 42 Appendix 2 46 Appendix 3 48 Appendix 4 50 Appendix 5 52


1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The theme of this Local Housing Strategy is to set a clear direction in the rapidly changing political and economic landscape as it relates to housing. It responds to the changes that have been brought about by the effects of the recession and the new demands imposed by impending Welfare Reform. New legislation, both at UK level and that implied by the Welsh Government’s first Housing White Paper Homes for Wales have shaped this strategy. Changes in social housing, namely the new Code of Guidance on Allocations and the proposed Rent Setting Policy and changes to the Housing Revenue Account significantly affects Wrexham Council as it still retains a large housing stock.

1.2 To address all these issues, a strategy is needed that doesn’t go out of date, remains relevant for the full years, and sets a framework for future direction.

Local Housing Strategy 2013 – 2018

1.3 This Local Housing Strategy sets out Wrexham County Borough Council’s direction of travel in housing and housing issues over the next five years. The Strategy will play a pivotal role in helping to deliver sustainable communities in welldesigned neighbourhoods where people can access quality, affordable housing.

1.4 Through this Local Housing Strategy, in conjunction with the Wrexham Plan, the Council Plan, the Unitary Development Plan, other supporting strategies and with the help of all its partners, Wrexham will work towards making all its communities sustainable.


1.5 By setting out the policy context the Strategy acts as a key driver for a range of specific housing programmes, for example, the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, Wrexham’s Private Sector Renewal and Improvement Policy, Homelessness Strategy, Supporting People and work in the private rented sector. The Wrexham Local Housing Strategy is guided by clear underlying principles to:

• review and monitor ‘what works’, and to build in flexibility to react to a changing political landscape;

• have housing policies make the best contribution to sustainable development, social, economic and environmental policies;

• support the development of the economy;

• be a strategy for the whole County – rural, urban, town and village;

• be a strategy for the whole of the housing community public and private sectors, voluntary and community groups, tenants, residents and the homeless.

Priorities and Resources

1.6 For the Strategy to be meaningful it cannot cover everything related to housing. There are many important issues and they cannot all be designated a priority, especially a priority for funding, there must be a focus on those things that will make the most difference. With the pressure on investment resources and limits to housing growth, this Strategy needs to be realistic as to what it can do to meet future housing needs. The Strategy will place much greater emphasis on ensuring that people can make wellinformed decisions about the full range of housing options in and outside the County.

Roles and Responsibilities for Delivering the Strategy

1.7 The responsibility for housing and housing services falls on many organisations and individuals. At a strategic level the UK and the Welsh Government lead, through investment and legislative frameworks, but at a local level, local authorities, housing associations, banks, building societies, voluntary sector organisations, charities, businesses and professionals all have an impact on availability and access to housing and housing services.

1.8 The role of private developers is crucial to the supply of affordable and good quality homes and to support thousands of jobs in construction and related industries. Developers can make a major contribution to tackling such challenges as climate change and the ageing population, whilst delivering affordable housing, creating jobs and supporting local businesses.

1.9 Individuals have a part to play, whether they own their own home, rent a home, or rent out a house to someone else. They have a responsibility to keep the home in a decent state of repair and would benefit from keeping it insulated to modern standards. However, in many cases people do not have the resources to keep their own homes free from disrepair and this Strategy highlights some ways to help them.

Structure of the Local Housing Strategy

1.10 The Local Housing Strategy is divided into two sections • Section One will cover the policy context and environment that affects housing and housing issues

and • Section Two will concentrate on the delivery response to those drivers.

1.11 The Strategy document will set out the commitments and aspirations of the Council over the next five years. The document will be underpinned by a set of delivery plans, reviewed on an annual basis which sets out how the Council will achieve those commitments. This approach gives the Council the flexibility to develop new initiatives to achieve the overall objectives.


2 POLICY FRAMEWORK BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

2.1 This Local Housing Strategy has to be set in the context of national, regional and local policies and in order to be successful, will need to complement and enhance these policies. This section illustrates the many changes that housing authorities will be facing over the next few years, and the responses that will need to be put into place.

Setting the scene

2.2 Wrexham is a county in NorthEast Wales which includes both urban and substantial rural areas and is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley. To the north west and south it borders the Welsh counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Powys and to the east it borders Shropshire and Cheshire West and Chester. As the largest town in North Wales, it is a major centre of the region's commercial, health, retail leisure and educational infrastructure.

2.3 Wrexham’s location is strategically important to both Wales and England, offering the main gateway from England into North Wales and joining up with the motorway network of North West England and beyond.

National Housing Strategy

2.4 Wrexham’s Local Housing Strategy is underpinned by the Welsh National Housing Strategy Improving Lives and Communities Homes in Wales (2010) which is arranged around three themes:

• More Housing, More Choice • Improving Homes and Communities • Better Services to Improve People’s Lives

2.5 These themes set a framework for Wrexham’s Local Housing Strategy. They encompass the need for a wide range of tenure and property types and for appropriate and well managed services. This Local Housing Strategy


mirrors these themes but draws local priorities from local information. Thus there is a connecting thread from national policies and priorities to local policies and priorities.

2.6 This Local Housing Strategy has been written in partnership with neighbouring Flintshire County Council which has a similar housing profile and similar demographic trends to Wrexham. The two housing strategies will highlight areas of commonality and opportunities for joint working. This partnership approach has a practical benefit allowing a sharing of resources, and resonates with the Welsh Government’s drive towards greater collaborative working between local authorities and the direction of travel indicated in the recent Housing White Paper.

Essex Review

a) Housing and Planning

2.7 The Essex Review on Affordable Housing in Wales (2008) recommended wideranging and urgent changes to the way that the provision of affordable housing is regulated, funded, planned for, assessed and delivered in Wales.

b) Rent Policy

2.8 The Essex Review pointed to the unfairness of the current system of rent setting for both social landlords and their tenants and recommended a full review. A rent review group was established with a remit to develop proposals for a new policy that would apply consistently to both housing association and local authority sectors.

2.9 The new rent policy proposes target rent bands for the average rent levels for each social sector landlord. Landlords will be expected to operate with average rent levels that fall within the scope of those bands. The responsibility for setting the rents for individual dwellings remains with landlords, and the target rent bands provide the landlords with a continuing measure of discretion over their aggregate rent levels.

2.10 At the same time the target rent bands for each landlord are based on a consistent set of principles and a common methodology across Wales that applies equally to both local authority and housing association landlords.

Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan 2012

2.11 This document outlines the Welsh Government strategic priorities and includes housing investment to generate jobs and growth. These priorities are:

• increasing the supply of social housing and improving existing housing stock;

• delivery of Arbed and Nest energy efficiency schemes;

• introduction of the proposed mortgage guarantee scheme and the Housing Bond; and

• designation and support of the Enterprise Zones e.g. Deeside Growth Zone.

2.12 This local housing strategy will reflect these priorities on a local basis.

Wrexham Unitary Development Plan

2.13 The development plan for Wrexham is the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 19962011, which was adopted in February 2005 and provided a framework for local planning decision making and the reconciliation of development and conservation interests in order that land use changes proceed coherently and with maximum community benefit. The overall strategy of the UDP sought to safeguard the amenity of settlements and secure economy and efficiency in the use of land resources through the regeneration of urban areas together with limited outward growth.


2.14 The housing element of the UDP, reflects the overall approach towards settlement growth, allocates most new housing development to a range of sites within and adjacent to existing built up areas; makes optimum use of previously developed or vacant land; makes use of spare capacity in infrastructure and services; and focuses on locations with reasonable public transport, walking and cycling links.

2.15 Strategic Policy PS5 indicates that provision will be made for 5,775 dwellings between 1996 and 2011. Although technically the UDP is out of date, in the absence of a revised development plan, it remains alongside national planning policy, the principle document against which development control decisions are made.

Wrexham Local Development Plan

2.16 The UDP will eventually be replaced by a Local Development Plan (LDP). This will set out the number

of units to be built over a fifteen year period between 2013 and 2028 together with the specific housing allocations and broad locations where such development is directed and considered acceptable to meet the housing needs of the County Borough. Preparatory work on this plan started in 2006 with the LDP eventually being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for Examination in 2011. However, because of concerns about the overall spatial strategy and the ability to provide sufficient new housing to meet Welsh Government forecasts, the Plan was withdrawn in March 2012. Work is now underway in drawing up a new LDP but at the time of writing we do not know what the housing target, strategy and policies will be in the final Plan. It is hoped the LDP will be submitted for Examination by 201516.

2.17 The UDP target of building 5,775 dwellings between 1996 and 2011 was achieved by 2011. Although the overall target has been built out, National Planning Policy requires Local Planning Authorities to maintain a 5 year land supply. The land supply at April 2011 was


COMMUTED SUMS

WCBC is very clear about wanting to see sustainable and mixed communities, and will always pursue the development of affordable housing as part of new private house building. However, in certain circumstances, the delivery of affordable housing becomes more problematic, and in those circumstances, a commuted sum may be accepted instead.

Wrexham CBC concurs with Welsh Government Planning guidance which suggests that the priorities for securing affordable housing should be in the following order:

• On site delivery to secure mixed communities (i.e. on the application site);

• Off site delivery (i.e. on another site either owned by the developer, Council or RSL within the County);

• Use of commuted sums in lieu of on or off site delivery.

The use of commuted sums therefore is clearly intended to be the last option and developers will

need to demonstrate that both on site and off site options for the delivery of affordable housing have been exhausted before consideration is given to the use of commuted sums.

Commuted sums must be used for affordable housing, and in Wrexham the priorities for spending commuted sums are:

a) To support delivery of the Affordable Housing Project;

b) To support direct provision of affordable housing elsewhere in Wrexham County Borough, either with or without Social Housing Grant support;

c) As part of an assisted home ownership scheme such as Homebuy

3.9 years (2,011 units) and preliminary findings for April 2.23 2012, (not yet approved by WG) indicate a land supply of 4.16 years (1,697 units). This comprises undeveloped allocated sites and extant planning permissions, which are likely to be completed within the next five years.

2.18 Local Planning Guidance Note No.28 Affordable Housing was revised by the Council in February 2013, following extensive public consultation.

2.19 The revised LPG 28 also sets out the Council’s policy on Commuted Sums.

The Council Plan and the Wrexham Plan

2.20 The Council Plan (2013 – 2017) has as three of its four priorities People, Economy and Place, which are clearly reflected in this Local Housing Strategy. Wrexham Council believes in working in partnership to achieve shared objectives and one of the key partnerships is with the Local Service Board. The priorities of the Local Service Board as set out in the Wrexham Plan are:

• Wrexham is a place where people can live independently and are healthy and active;

• Wrexham is a place with a strong, resilient and responsible economy;

• Wrexham is a place that's safe and where everyone feels included.

2.21 The vision and priorities in both the Council Plan and the Wrexham Plan interlink with the priorities that have been developed as part of the Local Housing Strategy.

Welfare Reform

2.22 In June 2010 the UK Coalition Government set out its plans for a radical reform of the benefits system. The reform’s key theme is that households would not be worse off in work than they would be on benefit. Welfare Reform is intended to make the benefits system simpler and more transparent by merging in and out of work benefits into a single Universal Credit, paid in arrears on a monthly basis.

Welfare Reform will change the policy landscape for local authorities and for other organisations that provide services to vulnerable people, for example the homeless. To protect residents as much as possible Wrexham has designated Welfare Reform as a significant corporate project, and has brought together a Project Manager and a team to consider the impacts, and ensure the Council addresses them effectively. Our early assessments indicated that the impacts will be increased demand for homeless prevention services and smaller accommodation, possibly with an increase in Housing in Multiple Occupation.

2.24 Welfare Reform is a radical change to the relationship between benefits and employment and will take several years to be fully implemented. The true extent of the impacts of Welfare Reform are yet to be seen, but the change in policy runs as a thread throughout the strategy and Welfare Reform considerations are implicit, if unstated, in all of the actions within the Strategy. As with other housing providers and Local Authorities, Wrexham County Borough Council are taking all steps to mitigate against hardship as the changes begin.

Wrexham’s Economic Prosperity Strategy 2012 16

2.25 The Council’s Economic Prosperity Strategy 201216 outlines the importance of regeneration within Wrexham. The EPS sets out four main priorities towards achieving economic prosperity within Wrexham:

• Investment; • Employment; • Wealth; and • Quality of life.


The WESTERN GATEWAY PROJECT is a longterm development project driven by the Council, in partnership with other organisations. Its objective is to buildout Wrexham Technology Park into its third phase, focussing on businesses that can help drive the Wrexham economy and make it more sustainable through, for example, the creation of new and betterpaid jobs. The site is situated on the Ruthin Road access to Wrexham.

The project has been in design and development for almost 10 years, and during this time it has achieved a number of key outcomes which contribute towards achieving the ultimate objective of building out the third phase of the Technology Park. Key achievements to date include:

• The implementation of a Highway Improvement Scheme at Croesnewydd Road. Further development of the infrastructure is required in order to open up the employment land to enable the extension of the Technology Park;

• Facilitation of in excess of 250 new housing units within the Western Sector to date, and the potential for a minimum of 80 further units in the future;

• The reignition of interest from a national house builder in land at the Western Gateway; and

• The successful design of the scheme to facilitate access at a later date to the hospital car park and the Joint Emergency Services Scheme with the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) site as well as providing the requisite link to enable the new spine road to be built at a later date.

The intention is for the Western Gateway to become a flagship scheme. The most pioneering aspect of it will be its development as a ‘green’ business park with the focus on sustainability and high environmental credentials. A plan detailing the developments at the Western Gateway and the proposed new infrastructure is shown in Map 1.

See Appendix 2 for map of Western Gateway site

2.26 Achieving economic prosperity in the County Borough is defined in the Economic Prosperity Strategy as:

• Having enough of the right land or buildings to attract high quality employment opportunities with premium employers;

• Capitalising on the potential of our tourism assets to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more;

• Reducing the number of vacant/void town centre premises and increasing footfall.

• Conserving and regenerating key buildings to raise the overall quality and feel of the infrastructure and public realm within the County Borough.

2.27 A particular focus of the Economic Prosperity Strategy is the need to build the right physical environment to help people to build their lives and pursue their ambitions, sharing the vision for Wrexham County Borough as

being ‘a place where people want to live, work, visit and invest’.

2.28 The Economic Prosperity Strategy also outlines the need for a Physical Regeneration Plan for the County Borough, to summarise what is currently being delivered to regenerate the County and also to set the strategic vision for regeneration in the future. This EPS is in the early stages of development and is expected to be completed by spring 2013. The new Physical Regeneration Plan will have strong linkages to this Local Housing Strategy.

2.29 Housing is a key sector of economic activity both in its own terms, for instance, construction work as well as design, maintenance, architecture, and sales. Affordable, attractive and integrated housing creates places where people want to live and businesses want to invest. This in turn enhances the skills, capacities, jobs and investment that will assist economic opportunities.


2.30 At the same time, a strong economy assists businesses and people, especially in deprived areas, raises income levels, allows people to improve their housing and fosters sustainable communities. It is vital that economic development supports a healthy housing market and vice versa and this Local Housing Strategy is aligned to and will support the Economic Prosperity Strategy.

2.31 The 2008 Credit Crunch, the subsequent recession, and the impact of the 2010 and 2013 Comprehensive Spending Reviews present an uncertain and evolving environment in which housing providers must operate. This makes it difficult for a strategy such as this to define a clear response to future economic conditions.

2.32 This uncertainty both in terms of jobs and the economic impact of Welfare Reform means that the Strategy must be responsive to a changing environment. In the short term, plans will concentrate on helping more people into housing, whether they need assistance because of low incomes, short term employment or homelessness. In the longer term, the Strategy will prepare for economic recovery and ensure that the investment and skills are in place to capitalise on the opportunities brought about by a reviving economy.

2.33 The recession has had a variety of impacts on Wrexham that will affect residents’ ability to access housing. These are:

• a trend for part time short term work, instead of full time permanent jobs;

• a fall in private sector investment, particularly in housing and the retail sectors;

• a fall in private house building;

• reduced income to the public sector through falling capital receipts with fewer sales of assets, and

• a general tightening of public spending.

2.34 In response there is a need to strengthen the links between public and private housing investment, to ensure the best possible outcome in terms of jobs and

training for local people in Wrexham, especially young people. Wrexham Council will be exploring how public/private sector partnerships can be developed to encourage house building without grant.

Building Sustainable Communities

2.35 Sustainable communities are those which create pleasant, mixed neighbourhoods not dominated by a single type of housing or tenure. The accepted defining features of a sustainable community are:

• active, inclusive and safe • well designed and built • well connected • thriving • fair for everyone

2.36 This Strategy cannot influence all the factors that contribute to Sustainable Communities, below are some of the issues that the Strategy considers important to take into consideration when improving or delivering new housing.

Health

2.37 The close links between housing and health are widely recognised, with housing having an impact on physical and mental health. The physical condition of people’s homes and neighbourhoods can significantly affect their quality of life. Although in the past public funds have been targeted towards properties and areas in need of refurbishment, recent cuts to public funding have meant that other ways to improve housing conditions have had to be found.

2.38 The BRE (Building Research Establishment) recognises the adverse effects of poor housing on the health of household members and calculated an additional cost to the NHS of an estimated £600,000,000 per annum from the issues arising from homes identified as being in poor condition.


Transport Links Distinctiveness, Design and Security

2.39 The proximity of housing to good public transport links will both reduce congestion and provide the accessibility and travel options that are vital to a strong economy. Wrexham is well connected by road; Liverpool Airport, Manchester Airport, Chester, Manchester and Liverpool are all easily reached via the M56 and M53. Birmingham is within a ninety minute drive, and both London and Cardiff are easily accessible by rail in just over two and a half hours. Rail connections however, to other parts of Wales and England, for example, Manchester and Liverpool, are relatively poor.

Climate Change/Fuel Poverty

2.40 Encouraging good standards of energy efficiency in housing design, maintenance and refurbishment leads to better homes that use far less energy. Providing more affordable warmth for inhabitants helps to achieve targets in the Climate Change Strategy for Wales by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

2.41 Fuel poverty is defined as when households spend more than 10% of their disposable income on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory level of heating, lighting, hot water and cooking facilities. (nb: at the time of writing, there is debate about changing this definition).

2.42 Figures show that 30% of households in Wales were living in fuel poverty in 2012, equating to 386,000 homes.

2.43 Wrexham Council is developing a climate change adaptation strategy to meet Welsh Government’s requirements. This will ensure that service providers, partner organisations and communities, future proof their future plans, to prepare for the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and the increasing costs of climate change. This will be alongside key strategies such as the Local Development Plan, which is being produced over the next three years and will set out the direction for future land use development across the County Borough, as well as influencing the drive for continually increasing building standards.

2.44 The design of the physical environment can positively influence human behaviour. Attractive, imaginative and feasible design can help reduce crime, the fear of crime and antisocial behaviour thereby achieving a safer and higher quality environment and an improvement in residents’ quality of life. Wrexham’s UDP Policy GDP1 states that all new developments should take account of personal and community safety and security in the design and layout of development and public/private spaces. This is amplified in Local Planning Guidance Note no 24, Designing out Crime, which sets guidance and design principles and a number of detailed points in how good design can be achieved through the siting, layout and movement of new housing development.

2.45 Building Regulations and Planning Guidance can include many aspects of design and there are key decisions which should be influenced by local housing and planning strategies. Wrexham will expect all new developments to include these principles:

• Design for people with a range of needs, including dwellings to Lifetime Homes standard wherever possible to maximise flexibility;

• Build in “securebydesign” principles in all schemes;

• Achieve a high quality of appearance and keep in character with an area, reflecting existing good, distinctive local design reinforces a sense of place and identity;

• Include green spaces where possible, with planting sympathetic to the existing local environment and sensitive to local wildlife;

• Minimise health and accident risks identified through Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

Skills, Employment and Training

2.46 Sustainable communities need an ongoing workforce and it is important to create opportunities for training and skills out of other activities. A thriving construction


sector gives us the opportunity to improve skills and training, as housing capital projects which use public funds can have training and skills at their centre. The Hightown Flats redevelopment in the centre of Wrexham is an example of where a major project has included a significant local training, employment and supply chain requirement.

2.47 Wrexham Council supports a number of schemes which provide opportunities for people to develop their knowledge and skills, including:

• Modern Apprenticeship – The Housing and Public Protection Department is committed to providing work opportunities to young local people, and annually develops a Modern Apprentice programme, subject to the availability of resources. The present corporate scheme offers an apprenticeship for 18 months leading to full time employment on successful completion of the scheme.

• Pathways to Apprenticeship – Landlord Services (Housing and Public Protection Department) is committed to partnership working with Yale College, Bersham with regard to accepting first or second year students who are undertaking training in various trade areas for work experience.

• Skillbuild NEET’s Project – In partnership with Children and Young People Service, the Department considers requests for work experience from students on the NEET’s Project (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Students undertake a programme of skill build course via Wrexham ITeC, and support is given as they undertake work experience with the Council. This helps them to build their confidence and acquire skills appropriate to the work place with the view of giving them the tools to seek full time employment within the Borough.

• Build in the components of Sustainable Communities in all new developments.

• Maximise the value of housing investments in the public and private sector by bringing opportunities for wider regeneration as well as opportunities for new employment;

• Enable an attractive housing offer of affordable, good quality housing, which creates positive places to live and in turn attracts skilled people, investment and new economic opportunities.

• Tackle worklessness by providing access to training and employment advice at all stages of the housing lifecycle and across all tenures.

• Further develop initiatives to bring empty properties back into residential use to meet housing need, in particular in Wrexham town centre.

• Address disrepair in areas of poor private sector housing in urban and rural areas.

• Work with energy companies to use schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) as a vehicle for local regeneration

To Create Sustainable Communities We Will:


Wrexham Local Housi

2010 projections produced by the Corporate Research and Informat

2012

134,940

2013

135,653

Table 1 Population Projections to 2017

3 THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE BUILDING AN EVIDENCE BASE

3.1 To develop strategies such as this and to inform future plans the Council needs a robust evidence base. This strategy has been informed by two pieces of research carried out by Glyndwr University and also by the 2011 Census. In 2013 both a Housing Needs Survey and a Housing Market Assessment will be undertaken to further develop the evidence base. Having detailed information will also help the Council and partners to make robust bids for funding.

Population

3.2 In common with most local authority areas in Wales, the population in Wrexham is growing. The 2011 Census show a current population of 134,844, for the County, which is the largest the population has ever been. The 2012 population projections suggest by 2017, the population will 138,541. The table below shows the projected increase in population at yearly intervals to 2017.

3.3 This population growth can be broken down into a figure for projected households that will be living in Wrexham, as shown in Appendix 1, Table 1. From the 2011 Census household numbers of 57,029, there is an estimated 8.4% increase of 4,779 households expected by 2016. This does not mean that Wrexham will need an additional 4,779 dwellings as some of them will use existing homes and empty homes that have been brought back into use.

3.4 Wrexham has a history of inmigration which is a reflection of its border location, relative economic prosperity and attractive environment. The figures include net migration.

ion Unit, Conwy County Borough Council.

2014

136,373

2015

137,100

2016

137,826

2017

138,541

14 ng Strategy

Housing Market Areas

3.5 Housing Market Areas are defined as:

“the area where the majority of households living or seeking to move are willing to search for alternative accommodation” (Welsh Government Guidance)”

3.6 The 2012 Analysis of Housing Requirements and Affordability in Wrexham (carried out by Glyndwr University) identifies 5 Housing Market Areas and estimates population growth for each area. The Housing Market Areas identified for Wrexham are shown below in Map 1, the areas cover:

Local Housing Markets

• LHMA01 Wrexham: Composed of the Town itself;

• LHMA02 Western Border: Including Llay, Brymbo, Gwersyllt, Bwlchgwyn, Rhostyllen, Cefn Mawr, and Chirk;

• LHMA03 South West: Including Pontfadog, Glyn Ceiriog, and Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog;

• LHMA04 South East: Including Bettisfield, Bronington, Hanmer, Penley, Overton, Tallarn Green, BangorisyCoed, Worthenbury, Cross Lanes, and Marchwiel;

• LHMA05 North East & Border; Includes Holt, Gresford, Marford, Rossett, and Burton

Local Housing Market Areas for Wrexham


4

3.7 Local Housing Market analysis does not suggest that people are confined to these areas merely that, in general, movement takes place within these areas, this analysis is merely a tool to illustrate trends and patterns.

Household Formation

3.8 Demographic changes and changes in lifestyles mean that household formation will be different in the future to what it has been in the past (see Appendix 1, Table 2). The trends indicate that by 2016:

• Single person households will see the highest numerical growth of all household types. They are set to increase by 4,259 households or 22% over a 10 year period;

• Smaller, single parent families see the highest percentage rise, at 27% over the same period:

• Households containing just 1 person or 2 people will see large percentage rises overall:

• There will be a decline in the number of households containing twoparent larger families.

3.9 These trends towards smaller households has clear implications for the type of housing that Wrexham will need in the future and more research will need to be carried out to assess how these smaller households will want to be housed, and what is a realistic prospect of providing affordable housing for them.

3.10 Table 3 in Appendix 1 shows the income bands for households in Wrexham and the percentage of households which fall into each band.

3.11 Although a substantial minority of households have an income of more than £45,000 a year, a sizable number have an income of between just £15,000 and £30,000 and these households will be the ones who are most likely to look for either intermediate rent or affordable housing to purchase.

Household Incomes in Wrexham County Borough

3.50%

0-5k

5-10k

10-15k

15-20k

13.50%

25.40%

20-25k

25-30k

30-35k

12.90%

5.50% 35-40k

40-45k

6.30% 45k and above 10.50%

6.50%

8.50% 7.40%


3.12 Income distribution is concentrated into wealthier and poorer areas and map 2, below, shows how household incomes differ throughout the County. It shows:

Map 2 Median Household Incomes – 2010 Wrexham LSOAs in the context of Date Unit Wales Median Household Incomes

3.13 3.14

© Data Unit Wales & Glyndwr University.

Map 3 below illustrates the distribution of the The Communities First Programme was launched in deprivation in the County. This distribution is a key 2001 and is funded by the Welsh Government. There indicator for public sector intervention, for instance area are two areas, known as ‘clusters’, in Wrexham; Caia renewal or regeneration funding and again, will be Park and Hightown and the Urban Villages which hardest hit by Welfare Reform. includes wards such as Llay and Gwersyllt amongst

others. Development teams work with residents, community groups, businesses and other key agencies to focus on the long term sustainability and wellbeing of the communities.

Map 3 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2011 Wrexham LSOAs in the context of the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2011


Age Demographics

3.15 Wrexham’s population is ageing. An ageing population is one that, in general, has fewer younger people than older people and this has implications for both housing and service provision. The chart below illustrates the age profile of residents in the County Borough:

Wrexham County Borough Age Distribution

27%

17%

26%

19%

3.16 Table 4 in Appendix 1 shows that the number of people aged 65 and over in Wrexham in the 2011 Census was 22,851 (slightly higher than the 2010 population projections). This age group is expected to rise by 8,814 over the next 15 years, an increase in that population of 42%. By 2026 the over 65s will make up about 22% of the population and, in line with the characteristics of an aging population, the numbers of people in all other age groups will decline during the same period. (See Table 5 in Appendix 1)

0 - 15

16 - 24

25 - 44 11% 45 - 64

65+

2011 Census, Population and Household Estimates for Wales

Housing Tenure

3.17 In 2013 The Welsh Government Statistics Division published their research on dwellings and tenure. They show:

• The number of dwellings in Wales continues to grow steadily, with an estimated 1.4 million dwellings at 31 March 2012. This is an increase of 9% since 2000/01.

• The majority of dwellings in Wales continue to be owner occupied at about 68% of the total.


T

L

• The number of owner occupied dwellings has fallen slightly in recent years due to the rise in the private rented sector

• The estimated number of private rented sector dwellings has increased steadily over the last ten years, to nearly 14%, at 31 March 2012. This is largely due to the inability of first time buyers to access the housing market. The 2011 Census figures show that the Private Rented Sector in Wrexham is slightly lower at 11.9%.

• In the social sector, it is estimated the number of dwellings rented from local authorities has decreased by more than half since 2000/01. This is not necessarily a loss to the stock, but due to stock transfers to a housing association as the number rented from Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) has more than doubled over the same period.

• Overall, in Wales, there has been a general fall in proportion of social sector dwellings to an estimated 16 per cent of all dwellings at 31 March 2012.

Tenure of Homes

40.00%

35.00%

30.00%

25.00%

20.00%

15.00%

10.00%

5.00%

0.00%

Tenure in Wrexham

3.18 The Census shows that in 2011, 11,309 properties in Wrexham were rented from the Council, (this figure changes as properties can be vacant or sold). However, this still means that almost 20% of the total stock in the county is represented by this tenure, which is higher than the Wales average of 16%. The RSL stock represents 3.3% of the total dwellings, whilst the private rented sector, not previously singled out separately from owner occupation, now stands at almost 12% of the stock. The owner/occupied sector is estimated at 63.6% of the stock, with losses from this sector almost always translating into rises in the private rented sector. The chart below illustrates the split in tenure across the county.

England

Wales

Wrexham

Owned Outright Owned Outright Shared Rented from Housing Private Landlord Private Rented Living Rent free with a mortgage Ownership Council Association or Letting Other

or loan Agency


3.19 Another piece of evidence to be considered is the Older Persons Housing Needs and Aspirations Study (2013) which, although not fully complete at the time of writing, has contributed some early findings to feed into the Local Housing Strategy:

a) The study showed that 77% of householders want to remain in their own homes as they are getting older, which means that they will need access to a range of help and support that will enable them to maintain and stay in their own homes.

b) However, many acknowledged that there may come a time when there is a need to move.

c) More than a third of older persons surveyed would prefer to move to a bungalow when they are no longer able to manage in their own home.

d) Few developers are currently building bungalows as they take up a larger amount of land, and increasing costs to the developer, so current supply is being met through turnover in the existing stock. However, it should be possible to build smaller, terraced or semidetached bungalows with small gardens to meet this need.

e) Space continues to be important as people grow older and most people responded that they need sufficient storage space for all their belongings and a spare room for relatives or friends. Outdoor space is still important, but gardens needed to be smaller and easy to maintain.

f) The study showed that there is still a demand for Sheltered Housing accommodation, but respondents felt that accommodation in some schemes needed to be updated to be attractive to older people who have higher expectations than previous generations.

g) Extra–care housing should be included as one of the models of housing available to meet the needs and aspirations of older people, but key to a successful scheme is the location.

h) The study shows that 40% of Older Persons who thought they may move in the future would prefer to buy a suitable property and 38% would consider renting.


i) The respondents felt that the choice of housing in Wrexham currently is limited, partly because nearly all specialist housing for older people involves renting; There are few opportunities to purchase older persons accommodation.

3.20 The Study concludes that in considering the housing requirements of older people it should be noted that the aspirations of older people are changing; they expect choice, quality and the opportunity to adopt a positive lifestyle in old age.

Using the Information to Assess Housing Need

3.21 An assessment of housing need is broadly a comparison of the size of the population and the way in which it will grow in the future and the amount of housing stock we have, and expect to have in the future to meet that need. This is balanced by our knowledge of the numbers of people presenting as homeless and the number of people on social housing waiting lists, as well as some estimate of overcrowding.

The Housing Waiting List and Homelessness

3.22 Within the social sector information is available on the number of properties which become vacant and are available for new lettings each year. In Wrexham the figures show approximately 630 properties became available for new lettings in 2012/13. On the Council Housing Waiting list there are approximately 1,800 households waiting to be offered a property.

3.23 In Wales, the number of households accepted as homeless has increased by 4% between 201011 and 201112. In Wrexham 652 homeless applications were accepted by the Housing Options Team in 2012/13, a slight decrease on the previous year (reflecting our new approach to homeless prevention work).

3.24 It is important to understand the way in which people access housing, and how the housing market operates in Wrexham. The current economic downturn and the changes in Welfare Reform must affect future housing provision, including the number, size and tenure of new homes. The demographic picture shows that there will be a greater demand for rental housing, both social rent and intermediate rent, and assisted home ownership.


Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation

3.25 Research carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2009 showed that lack of adequate and suitable accommodation is one of the areas where Gypsies and Travellers continue to suffer inequalities. This can also have a negative impact on other aspects of their life, such as health and education.

3.26 Statistics show that Gypsies and Travellers have a life expectancy which can be up to 12 years less than the settled population. They are more likely to suffer from longterm illnesses which limit their daily activities than people from other socially deprived or excluded groups. They report problems with accessing vital services such as health, accommodation and education.

3.27 Under sections 225 and 226 of the Housing Act 2004, local authorities have a duty to carry out an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers residing in their area. The assessment plays an important role in the planning process, as the information obtained will be used to help local authorities identify sites for Gypsies and Travellers through the Local Development Plan process.

3.28 Welsh Government guidance states that the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers should be identified, understood and addressed on the same basis as other sectors of the community.

3.29 Wrexham Council are currently undertaking an Accommodation Needs Assessment of the Gypsy and Traveller population in the County Borough. This Assessment has been based on guidance produced by the Welsh Government and informed by best practice examples from recent Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessments throughout the UK. Although the research will not be complete until late 2013 some findings can be included here.

3.30 The 2011 Census figures indicated that there were a total of 104 members of the Gypsy and Traveller community living in Wrexham on Census Night. This Assessment, however, identified a significantly larger population of 161 Gypsies and Travellers living in the County Borough during the survey period.

Current Site Provision In Wrexham

3.31 The current site provision at the time of the survey in Wrexham County Borough was:

• 15 socially rented plots • 2 private authorised sites comprising one plot each • 2 unauthorised plots

Gypsies and Travellers in Bricks and Mortar

3.32 The data available at the start of the survey indicated that approximately half of all the Gypsy and Traveller households in Wrexham currently live in bricks and mortar accommodation. The total number could be even higher than this, as some members of the community living in this type of accommodation do not wish to identify themselves.

3.33 The views of this entire group form an important part of the Gypsy and Traveller assessment, as they may be living in this type of accommodation through necessity, rather than choice, particularly where site provision is limited.

3.34 This study aimed to include all members of the Gypsy and Traveller community, to ensure that the results are fully representative of every household type.

3.35 Early findings from the study indicated a level of overcrowding in current provision, both on the sites and in bricks and mortar, so this would indicate a need for additional pitches. The study will also make an assessment of future need from new household formation, and will make recommendations on the amount of provision needed in the County.


3.36 The research also included an assessment of the current Ruthin Road site compared to current guidelines. The one local authority site in Wrexham is located off the A525 Ruthin Road. The site was originally developed in 1985 by the then Clwyd County Council, and comprised 10 pitches. The capacity increased to 19 pitches in 1999, when the site was extended as part of the strategy to address the occupation of land at Croesnewydd.

3.37 The provision was reduced to 15 pitches after refurbishment work was carried out in 2008 and 2009 to extend 4 of the existing pitches. The work was funded through a grant from Welsh Government, to address the issue of the caravans being parked too closely together, due to lack of space on the plots. The amenity blocks were replaced on these 4 plots, providing improved kitchen and bathroom facilities.

3.38 Once the Accommodation Assessment is agreed, it will be published.


The Evidence Base – We Will:

• Review the Local Housing Strategy annually and amend the Delivery Plans in line with emerging evidence;

• Develop the current evidence base, in particular carry out a Housing Market Assessment every two years;

• Work in partnership with other organisations /departments to develop common evidence bases;

• Publish our research;

• Carry over the findings and implications into the Delivery Section of the Local Housing Strategy and the annual Delivery Plans.

4 THEME 1 MORE HOUSING MORE CHOICE

The Right Supply Of Housing In The Right Locations

4.1 As with most parts of England and Wales there is currently a shortage of affordable homes to either buy or rent in Wrexham. In the recent White Paper for Housing, the Welsh Government has pledged to deliver 7,500 affordable homes over the next five years. The first Welsh Housing Bill is expected in 2014 and this will probably have more information on how these 7,500 will be delivered.

4.2 Whilst the Local Housing Strategy can give guidance as to the type of property most needed in the area, the Local Development Plan (LDP) will set out the numbers of properties and the numbers of affordable properties needed. Planning colleagues will take the Local Housing Strategy into account when developing the LDP and also the Housing Needs Survey and Housing Market Assessment.

Affordable Housing

4.3 Affordable housing is generally defined as: ‘social or affordable (intermediate) rented housing, or discounted houses for sale or for rent. These affordable properties are provided for eligible households whose needs are not met by the general market.’

4.4 Eligibility for affordable housing is determined by balancing local incomes and local house prices and the planning agreement should include provisions to keep the property at an affordable price for in the future (or help to fund an alternative).

4.5 The methods used to fund affordable housing in Wrexham are:

• With the use of Social Housing Grant; • With a contribution of publically owned land (eg the Affordable Housing Project);


• Through a public/private partnership, including a Housing Association;

• Through a planning contribution on a privately developed site;

• Through a loan to eligible households to buy their own home (eg Homebuy).

• Using commuted sums for development or direct assistance

4.6 A number of private developers are now looking at innovative ways to fund new affordable housing for sale and for rent, and Wrexham hope to be able to move forward with such a new scheme over the lifetime of the Strategy.

4.7 A number of private developers are now looking at innovative ways to fund new affordable housing for sale and for rent, and Wrexham hope to be able to move

forward with such a new scheme over the lifetime of the Strategy.

Small Properties Grant

4.8 The Welsh Government recently announced an additional £20 million from their Centrally Retained Capital funding to provide grant monies to build much needed smaller homes for those tenants affected by Welfare Reform. The development of smaller properties is currently one of the Welsh Government’s priorities.

4.9 Wrexham has already secured just under £1 million for the 2013 allocation. This money will go towards funding 1 and 2 bed social housing development for general needs and supported living housing. Similar funding programmes are expected to be repeated by the Welsh Government in 2014 and 2015.

Affordable Housing Project

The impact of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review means that, year on year, Social Housing Grant is likely to decrease. Local Authorities and Housing Associations will need to find innovative ways to fund new developments to provide the required affordable homes.

Wrexham’s principle method of delivering affordable housing is through the Affordable Housing Project which has been running since late 2009. The Council and the Welsh Government are working together in Wrexham by releasing sites in their ownership to enable delivery of more affordable housing. The project, which fits with the Welsh Government’s objective to build more affordable housing on public land, is funded by a combination of Social Housing Grant and private finance from Registered Social Landlords. Over the lifetime of the project it will deliver a mix of social rented and intermediate rented properties and will contribute to the regeneration of the town centre.

4.10 The 2012 “Analysis of Housing Requirements and Affordability in Wrexham" (Glyndw r University) identifies a requirement for more affordable housing, and makes recommendations on property size and accessibility. Its recommendations suggest that Wrexham needs:

• 36% of all new housing developed to be affordable (through any of the above mechanisms);

• More appropriate 1 and 2 bedroom homes to meet the future needs of smaller households across all tenures and free up larger family houses for those in the County who require them;

• Between 1824% of all new housing should be

accessible to meet the needs of older people or people with mobility problems.

4.11 To make new housing as sustainable as possible and to stand the test of time, the Council would prefer developers to build more ‘flexible homes’. To a certain extent, the majority of all new dwellings should be flexible, or at least capable of some form of extension or adaptation. The ‘Lifetime Homes’ model is a good example of flexible design. The Older Persons’ Housing Needs Study also recommends “Housing should be well designed with growing older in mind, it should meet the needs of all age groups – adaptable ‘homes for life’.


Affordable Homeownership Register

4.12 Wrexham, in partnership with Flintshire and Conwy Local Authorities, hold a joint Affordable Housing Register where people can register their interest in affordable housing. Grwp Cynefin (Formerly Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd) manages the register on behalf of the local authorities. The joint register enables all applicants to complete one single registration to be considered, if eligible, for affordable housing in all Local Authority areas. As well as helping people find an affordable home, this register helps us to gather information on the need for affordable housing. There are currently 164 applicants on Wrexham’s Affordable Housing Register.

Buying a House

4.13 In the past it has been generally accepted that many people in the UK aspire to own their own home rather than to rent it. This is because of notions of status, acquiring an asset and concerns about restrictions imposed on tenants in terms of decorations, refurbishment or use of the property. Since the economic downturn and uncertainty in both the housing and jobs markets, attitudes may have changed and more people will consider the rented sector a viable option.

4.14 Although house prices have fallen since 2007, buying a house for the first time buyer is no more affordable than it was then. Affordability is a function of both house prices and local incomes and in Wrexham, local wages, particularly in the public sector, have either only seen small rises or have been frozen. More people are employed in short term or fixed contract jobs and lenders are unwilling to lend in such circumstances. To assist people in this situation, the authority has developed more affordable housing products and will continue to refine them as the market changes.

4.15 The average age of a first time buyer in the UK is now around 37 years old, compared with 24 in 1980, although anecdotally we believe this figure may be slightly lower in Wrexham.

4.16 Lenders are now asking for much bigger deposits from first time buyers. In 2007 a first time buyer could secure a 100 or 110% mortgage on a property. By 2011, the average loan to value figure in Wrexham was 79%, and first time buyers had to find on average 21% for a deposit to secure a mortgage. By 2013 the finance market has started to loosen up a little and it is possible to obtain 95% mortgage deals from some lenders or, for new properties, the developer will often contribute to the deposit.

4.17 To assess whether houses are affordable, the Analysis of Housing Requirements and Affordability in Wrexham (2012) suggests a formula of 3.3 times annual income, to calculate the mortgage likely to be available. This figure incorporates a 3.5 ratio for single income households and 2.9 for multiple income households, however, it does not take into account the issue of deposits. To calculate affordability, the lower quartile of property prices is the accepted figure for calculation.

4.18 A snapshot of house prices at both the average and the lower quartile level in Wrexham in May 2013 can be found in Appendix 1, Tables 7 and 8.

4.19 The figures show that, for a first time buying household to purchase a 2 bedroom house, they would need an income of £19,750 and a deposit of around £17,500 The Glyndw r University HMA Update shows that 36.1% of households in Wrexham have an average household income below this figure and, if they are looking for their first home, would be unable to buy this type of house without assistance.

4.20 All of this only applies to first time buyers. People with equity in their homes are in a very different position, although the lack of first time buyers entering the market can prevent people from ‘trading up’.

Shared Ownership / Shared Equity

4.21 Shared equity means that a housing association or a local authority will own part of the equity in the property, usually between 30% and 50%, meaning that the buyer can purchase just part of the property at the


start and ‘staircase up’ to owning the property as their aspiration to ownership among many private tenants, income grows. Shared equity represents a significantly more affordable housing option for the County as lenders will usually accept a 5% deposit.

4.22 The research shows that just 22% of households in the County have an average household income below the threshold required to afford a 50% Shared Equity option meaning that this option could be attractive to households where at least one partner is working.

4.23 At the time of writing 220 shared equity properties have been sold in Wrexham.

Discounted for Sale / Low Cost Homeownership

4.24 In recent years Wrexham have used Discount for Sale or Low Cost Home Ownership, to help families buy their first home; this means the purchaser buys direct from the developer, but with a (usually 30%) discount. However, in the current economic climate this option is very difficult to achieve. Although the property is offered at a substantial discount, the deposit required is based on the full price and so for most first time buyers, this makes the property unaffordable.

4.25 For this reason, Wrexham is concentrating its efforts on the shared equity model, but will be flexible in its use of different affordable housing products as circumstances change.

4.26 Schemes are being developed where a local authority can act as guarantor to the mortgage, giving lenders more security about their investment. The Housing White Paper proposes that such a scheme is introduced nationally.

Renting a home in the Private Sector

4.27 A recent study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that although private renting has expanded recently and offers flexibility and choice, “high rents and limited security contribute to the high levels of

and to social rented housing among others, notably those with dependent children. So long as private renting is unable to provide greater security, it remains an unsuitable longterm form of tenure for more vulnerable households, and for many families. These drawbacks will be compounded by the proposed changes to Housing Benefit” (Tackling Housing Market Volatility in the UK, JRF 2011).

4.28 The Welsh Government’s guidance on affordable rent levels says a household should spend less than 25% of their gross income on rent. Table 9 in Appendix 1 shows that the average household income needed to live comfortably in a private rented 2 bedroom property is £23,920 and as we know that 47.8% of households in the County have an average household income below this, private sector rents are becoming as unaffordable as first time purchase.

4.29 While it is significantly more difficult to get a mortgage due to the levels of deposit required, for those who are able to buy, home ownership now represents a more affordable housing option than open market rent.

Intermediate Rental

4.30 Intermediate rent is a rent set at around the Local Housing Allowance level. This makes it more expensive than social rent, but cheaper than market rent. For some time Wrexham has been working to increase the amount of housing available at intermediate rent to help those who are a low priority for social housing, but cannot afford to either buy or rent at a market rate.

4.31 Intermediate rent is usually about 80% of local market rent and households require an average income of £19,136 to rent a 2 bed property at the intermediate rent level. 40.4% of households in the County have an average household income below this figure and so would be considered unable to afford an 80% intermediate rent. Most housing associations now have some intermediate rent properties on their books.


4.32 Once the Social Lettings Agency is up and running, it will let properties out at an intermediate rent. See Table 10 Appendix 1 for a breakdown of average intermediate rents in the County Borough.

4.33 The average rent levels for housing associations, intermediate rent and private rents at open market levels in Wrexham in late 2011 are shown in Appendix 1, Table 11.

Renting a House in the Social Rented Sector

4.34 Wrexham County Borough Council owns and manages a range of properties, including bedsits, retirement accommodation and adapted properties, as well as flats and houses for single people, couples and families.

4.35 The demand for social rented housing (as evidenced by the number of applicants on the housing registers) far exceeds supply. Lack of affordable housing and high private rents mean that households will look to social housing to meet their needs.

4.36 Wrexham Council Housing is administrated through six Estate Offices (Broughton, Caia, Gwersyllt, Plas Madoc, Rhosllanerchrugog and Wrexham Central) and more information about lettings in these areas can be found on the Council website.

4.37 Social housing is also available through housing associations, of which the ones who have the most stock in the Borough are:Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Ltd Wales and West Housing Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd Habinteg Housing Association Abbeyfield (Wrexham) Society Ltd

4.38 Currently, applicants wishing to apply for social housing can make individual applications to the Council and to each of the housing associations operating in the County. In the future we would like to move to a Common Housing Register arrangement with other housing providers.

Social Lettings Agency

4.39 As we have shown, there are more people looking for social housing in the County than there are properties available. To help with this Wrexham County Borough Council is hoping to establish a Social Lettings Agency, which will help us promote, advertise and give easy access to all forms of housing. The scheme will enable a greater number of those in housing need in the county borough of Wrexham to be housed through the Council’s Housing Waiting Lists. It is intended that some of the properties will come about through work by the Council to bring long term empty properties back into use. The scheme will also help to raise housing standards in the private rented sector.

4.40 The Welsh Government are keen to see local authorities explore different models of affordable housing delivery. Over the coming years we plan to investigate the feasibility of housing such as Community Land Trusts, Cooperative Housing Tenure and Self Build. Flintshire already have a Rent to Save scheme and Gifted Units to add to their portfolio of affordable housing products, and we will investigate whether these would be appropriate for Wrexham.

Improved Access to Housing

4.41 There are many different forms of tenure, owner occupation, private renting social rented or taking up an affordable housing product. We understand that most people looking for their first home do not know about all of these options, and as Wrexham CBC has such a large stock of property many people register on the waiting list without considering other options.

North Wales Single Access Routes to Housing Project (SARTH)

4.42 Since 2011 Wrexham has been working in partnership with other North Wales local authorities and with local housing associations to develop a common access route to housing. The principle behind this is that, as social housing is a scarce resource and is now allocated mainly to people in housing need, a common approach across North Wales to helping people find the best housing


solution for them would bring many benefits to residents, local authorities and housing associations.

4.43 The emphasis is on good quality, local housing advice to help people make realistic decisions on suitable housing provision, and on a single approach to the allocation of social housing.

4.44 The two main principles of the SARTH project are:

• A simple and transparent common allocations policy, based on banding rather than points;

• A comprehensive housing options services to determine the best option for people when they

want or need new accommodation. This will include giving advice on:

• Renting in the private sector • Purchasing a property • Local options for affordable housing • Intermediate renting options • The priorities for allocating social rented housing

4.45 A new single application form will make it easier to apply for all housing providers within North Wales in one simple step.

4.46 The pilots for this project are expected to start in 2014.

• Deliver a wide range of low cost home ownership products and keep abreast of the latest developments in these products, amending policies as necessary;

• Work with partners to bring about a range of intermediate rental products;

• Through the emerging LDP, seek to maximise delivery of affordable housing on new development sites in accordance with targets to be approved as part of the Plan making process;

• Deliver a range of affordable housing through the Affordable Housing Project;

• Aim to deliver sufficient new homes over the lifetime of the LDP. This figure will be formalised through the LDP process and this document updated when appropriate;

• Of these new homes, the LDP will determine how the affordable element will be met, and progress will be monitored on an annual basis;

• Encourage the development of one and two bedroomed homes, and properties with flexible spaces;

• Work with developers to bring forward affordable housing schemes without grant;

• Encourage more developments to meet the needs of older people, especially private developments;

• Establish a Social Lettings Agency;

• Work towards a Common Housing Register with other housing providers;

• Continue to develop and revise our websites for wider choice and easy access.

To Deliver More Housing More Choice We Will:


5 THEME 2 IMPROVING HOMES AND COMMUNITIES PREVENTING DISREPAIR AND RAISING THE QUALITY OF HOUSING

Private Sector Housing Conditions

5.1 In 2006 Fordhams Research produced the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey for Wrexham and, as part of this Local Housing Strategy, Glyndw r University have updated the information in that document. Due to cost constraints, this update has not been based on the traditional commissioned sampled stock condition survey; instead it has used a method of positioning the Council within a local, regional and national context, underpinned by the intelligence and data produced by various research, statistical and governmental bodies, to assess changes since 2006.

5.2 Those households most at risk of experiencing poor housing conditions are those who were economically challenged before the downturn and, by extension, are likely to have seen their situation decline further as other factors, such as inflation and rising fuel costs, are included.

5.3 The Fordhams Survey identified that 4% of dwellings were unfit according to the Fitness Standard and, by translating the requirements of the Fitness Standard into the broader interpretation of the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) we can now estimate that 9.6% of private sector stock would require mandatory action under the HHSRS.

5.4 The economic downturn will effect the ability of home owners or landlords to carry out improvements to their home, and so it would be reasonable to assume that the condition of the private stock condition in the County has not significantly improved since 2006, beyond the improvements made through Council grants and assistance, and probably the condition of some homes may have deteriorated. Even assuming (at best) a standstill position then, we can estimate that as many as 4,381 private sector dwellings require mandatory action under the HHSRS to remedy Category 1 Hazards.


5.5 The costs of bringing private sector properties back up to a decent standard are considerable. The English House Conditions Survey addresses specific average costs towards meeting the minimum standard. The average costs identified was £2,610 per dwelling. By this measure the 4,381 dwellings in the County would require £11.434m to remedy all Category 1 Hazards.

5.6 In the past, the Council has mainly relied on grants for its private sector renewal activity but in Wrexham, as for most local authorities, grants are no longer possible due to a decline in funding. Research has shown, however, that widespread use of renovation grants will discourage owner occupiers from carrying out their own repairs. (See ‘Private sector housing renewal: Reform of the Housing Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and Housing Act 1985’ (DETR, 2001).

5.7 The Council has a mandatory duty to act when Category 1 Hazards have been identified and a discretionary power to act if Category 2 Hazards are identified. This includes allowing the Council to take enforcement actions against owner occupiers and private landlords with additional powers enshrined in the Housing Act 2004 with regards to Houses in Multiple Occupation.

5.8 In its Housing White Paper – ‘Homes for Wales’ the Welsh Government proposes a Home Improvement Loan to help private sector owners make their homes wind and weatherproof, secure and safe. Given the scale of private sector disrepair in Wrexham it is clear that an initiative of this type, whether established by the Welsh Government or set up locally, must be a priority.

Brymbo Broughton and South West Wrexham Renewal Areas

5.9 A Renewal Area is a means of coordinating funding and services in a defined geographical area where it is recognised that there are housing, social and environmental problems. Renewal Areas aim to effect the comprehensive revitalisation of an area, bringing about improvements to homes, shops, other commercial premises, the local environment and the infrastructure.

5.10 At present two Housing Renewal areas have been declared within Wrexham County Borough:

• Brymbo Broughton 2002 (renewed in 2012) • South West Wrexham 2005

5.11 The renewal area of South West Wrexham has one of the largest concentrations of late 19th century terraced housing in the town. The area covers 1,534 properties and forms part of the gateway route into the town centre. The BrymboBroughton renewal area, has a high concentration of privately owned housing in need of repair. The BrymboBroughton area has seen decline of traditional heavy industries such as coal and steel and in 2002; the villages of Brynteg and Southsea were in the bottom 20% of most deprived wards in North East Wales, and fourth most deprived areas within the County Borough.

5.12 The work programme for the Renewal Areas consists of three main themes:Group Repair for up to 2,796 homes Environmental Improvements Energy Efficiency measures for up to 2,796 homes

5.13 Running alongside these three themes, Wrexham is using the Renewal Area status and funding to bring local jobs and training to this deprived area.

5.14 Along with other capital public funds, Renewal Area funding is being reduced year on year, and yet the success of the Renewal Area concept is clear. Wrexham would like to extend the Renewal Area benefits to other parts of the County if the Welsh Government can be persuaded to make funds available.


Townscape Heritage

The Cefn Mawr Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) is a regeneration and conservation scheme in the historic central streets of Cefn Mawr. It is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Wrexham County Borough Council, Cadw and the Welsh Government. The initiative offers grants to the private sector for the restoration of commercial and residential buildings on a priority basis according to regeneration and conservation criteria.

The THI has now been operational for more than 7 years. Some of the schemes are purely commercial but the majority have a residential element in the

form of flats above shops, and some are purely residential.

During the first phase of the THI (20052011) a total of 14 housing units were refurbished in the Centre of Cefn Mawr through the THI, many of these as houses above retail premises. The THI has worked with commercial landlords and shopkeepers wanting to refurbish and let their upper stories, as well as with owner occupiers. The result is a much more attractive and safer village centre and the creation of a new residential community at the heart of the village.

Empty Properties

5.15 There are over 200 known long term vacant dwellings (definition: vacant six months or longer) in the County Borough of Wrexham. Long term vacant properties are a wasted resource as well as a nuisance in the community and something which Wrexham Council is determined to address through all available powers.

5.16 The Council’s approach is to work in partnership with owners of empty properties to help and encourage

them to bring the property into use, either for sale or rent. There are various funds available through local and national schemes to assist owners to bring long term empty properties back into use. In addition to potential financial assistance, in some cases the Council may also offer practical assistance and advice with the whole process including project management.

5.17 Where help and advice are not successful and the property remains empty, the Council may be required to bring its enforcement powers to bear.


Wrexham Empty Homes Scheme

In April 2012 the Welsh Government announced the provision of a £10 million interest free ‘Houses to Homes’ loan fund, to assist owners of the 22,000 empty homes across Wales, to bring their property back into use. A loan of up to £25,000 per property is offered to bring property back into use either for rent or sale. The loan must be repaid over a fixed period allowing the fund to be recycled to bring further empty homes back into use. Wrexham Council will be using this fund in conjunction with additional support to offer the best incentive to owners of empty property. The additional support we offer to property owners includes:

• Linking to additional grants available, where applicable including in the existing Renewal and Regeneration Areas, and Energy Efficiency.

• Practical assistance in the form of Survey of Property, Tendering of Contractors and Project Management.

• Opportunity to have the property managed through Social Lettings Agency or through other partner organisations.

Tackling Fuel Poverty ECO – Energy Company Obligation

5.18 As the evidence base shows, fuel poverty is a real problem in Wales, and will get worse as energy prices rise. One way of helping families in fuel poverty is to make their homes more energy efficient.

5.19 The energy efficiency landscape is changing with the introduction of Green Deal and, at the time of writing, it is hard to see what impact this scheme will have. Wrexham Council is pursuing a number of energy efficiency schemes

Arbed

5.20 Arbed is the Welsh Government’s domestic energy efficiency programme, which helps to tackle fuel poverty across Wales. Wrexham is currently working on an Arbed funded scheme in Llay. The project area of around 400 properties were originally built as Coal Board properties, and are a mixture of private and social housing. The homes will benefit from the most appropriate energy efficiency measures from external wall insulation, cavity wall insulation and new boilers, plus advice for households on getting the most from their heating and reducing the size of their energy bills. This energy efficiency work will make the best use of local contractors, to bring in new skills and long term opportunities to the area.

5.21 The Council has undertaken a procurement exercise to appoint ECO delivery partners to deliver energy efficiency improvements to properties in the pilot areas. Works are expected to commence in the Autumn of 2013, and this will see potentially thousands of homes in both the public and private sector benefit from energy efficiency improvements. Part of this programme is about helping people in ‘hard to treat’ homes and so the most common improvement being offered will be solid wall insulation.

5.22 The procurement exercise is one of the first of its kind in the UK, and puts the Council in a very strong position to attract significant levels of ECO funding which totals £1.3bn on an annual basis for the next 3 years. This scheme is also collaborative in its design, with Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy Councils all able to utilise the procurement framework which has been established.

5.23 The scheme has already been commended by the Energy Savings Trust as a exemplar project in terms of carbon reduction, alleviating fuel poverty, inward investment, job creation and local supply chain creation.

NEST

5.24 Nest is the Welsh Government’s fuel poverty scheme. It aims to help reduce the number of households in fuel poverty and make Welsh homes warmer and more fuelefficient places to live. Nest also offer advice on:

• Saving energy • Money management • Making sure you are on the best fuel tariff for you; and • Whether you are entitled to any benefits to boost your income

5.25 For people on a low income, Nest will arrange energy efficiency improvements. Wrexham Council support Nest by distributing their leaflets directly to private sector tenants and landlords.


Solar Panel Scheme

During 2011/12 the Council successfully delivered what is thought to be the largest social housing solar PV scheme in Europe. The project has seen almost 3,000 council owned domestic properties fitted out with solar PV panels, and is seen as the flagship scheme for large scale renewable energy deployment. The project demonstrates the Council's forward thinking, innovative and bold approach to delivering high value capital expenditure projects despite the gloomy economic landscape.

The project was delivered in record time and has received national recognition and a number of prestigious awards. The benefits of the scheme are long term and far reaching. They include:

• Carbon reduction up to 3,000 tonnes of Co2 saved annually

• Income generation for the Council (in the form of Feed in tariff payments) an average of almost £600k net surplus income over 25 years

• Reducing fuel poverty amongst tenants Savings of up to £250 can be made each year for tenants, in the form of a reduced electricity bill

• Local economic stimulation Over 60 local jobs were created to deliver the scheme, across a variety of different professions

Private Rented Sector

5.26 Well managed private rented homes can offer flexible access to housing and a degree of choice to households, but the impact of the rapid expansion and continued growth of the private rented sector, has implications for housing standards in Wrexham. With the recent welfare reforms there may be an increased demand for this kind of shared accommodation, but of all tenures, the private rented sector has been shown to have the worst property condition, whilst housing the poorest and most vulnerable people.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

5.27 In November 2011 Wrexham CBC implemented the Additional Licensing Scheme which sought to licence all HMOs in the County Borough. At the time of writing there were 264 licensed HMOs, but there are more which are yet to come forward.

5.28 Wrexham Council undertakes inspections of rented properties, in response to concerns by tenants about the condition of the property, or as part of a programme of proactive inspections. These inspections assist in identifying health and safety hazards and poor management standards before any harm is caused.

5.29 All of this work is backed up by the enforcement role. There is a range of legislation that applies to private rented properties and as well as assisting landlords and tenants to comply with these requirements the team ensure that appropriate enforcement action is taken where required.

5.30 The recent Welsh Government White Paper ‘Homes for Wales’ shows a determination at national level to improve standards in the private rented sector, for example by introducing compulsory licensing of all private sector landlords and letting/managing agents.

5.31 A piece of work carried out in 2013 between the Housing Department and the Welsh Local Government Association has set in motion a forward programme of work to broaden the Council’s influence in the private rented sector. The key actions from this work are:

• Raise the profile and awareness of the private rented sector in the Council and with its wider partners

• Develop a focussed, comprehensive and coordinated corporate approach to the private rented sector

• Provide resources to ensure that the Council is able to work effectively with the private rented sector in Wrexham


• Improve understanding of the needs, scale and 5.35 makeup of the private sector landlords

• Improve communication with private sector landlords • Improve access to private rented homes in Wrexham

5.32 This work is now being taken forward by the Standards Team.

Wrexham Council’s Housing Stock

5.33 Wrexham Council owns and manages approximately 11,300 properties across the Borough. In common with other stock holding authorities Wrexham is working towards bringing all of its properties up the standard set by the Welsh Government – the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

5.34 At the moment only 2% of the homes owned by the Council fully meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS). At the time of writing, the Housing Service is carrying out a stock survey to determine the full amount of works required to improve all properties to this standard. One issue for the Council is the 1,754 nontraditional homes, in a variety of construction types, which can be difficult to improve.

For 2013/2014, a capital programme of £23.5 million has been agreed, which is an increase on the 2012/13 programme of around £10 million. The additional money will be spent on a wide range of improvements, meaning that more properties will meet more elements of the WHQS.

5.36 The full programme of works will include:

• Improvements to central heating and gas supply • Renewable Technology • Energy Efficiency Works • Safety and Security (asbestos and fire safety works) • Electrical Repairs • Reroofing of Properties • Kitchen Replacement Programme • Environmental Improvements • Welfare Adaptations (handrails, ramps etc) • Sheltered property upgrades

5.37 The Council has submitted a Housing Revenue Account Business Plan to the Welsh Government which shows that it can achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020.


• Assess the feasibility of establishing a mechanism for a Property Improvement Loan to tackle Category 1 Hazards in private sector stock

• Widen the scope of the Housing Renewal Strategy to include a range of initiatives to improve private sector properties

• Develop a business plan to improve all Council properties to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard

• Reduce fuel poverty, improve energy efficiency and affordable warmth

• Bring empty properties back into use, preferably for affordable housing

• Support the Townscape Heritage Initiative and other regeneration schemes to refurbish private

properties and enable living space to be developed over shops

• Lobby the Welsh Government for a commitment to extend renewal area funding

• Prepare for the growth of the private rented sector, and for the White Paper proposal to register all landlords

• Strengthen the enforcement role of the Council in respect of neglectful landlords

• Work with the Welsh Government, landlords and other partners to improve housing conditions in the private rented sector

• Raise the professional image of the private rented sector

To Improve Homes and Communities We Will:

6 THEME 3 BETTER SERVICES TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIVES

Providing Fair And Equal Access To Quality Housing And Services

The Supporting People Programme

6.1 The Supporting People Programme began on 1 April 2003, bringing together seven housingrelated funding streams from across central government. The programme provides housingrelated support to help vulnerable people to live as independently as possible. This support could be in people’s own homes or in hostels, sheltered housing, or other specialist supported housing.

6.2 Wrexham County Borough Council recognises that many vulnerable and older people have a better quality of life if they can continue to live independently with service provision that supports such independence. Preventative housing related support services can enable people to remain in their communities and delay, prevent or reduce the need for health and social care services.

6.3 The Wrexham County Borough Council Supporting People Commissioning Plan will continue to critically examine Supporting People provision and articulate how local need will be met in the future. The overarching priorities for accommodation and services for vulnerable people are to:

• Provide a range of support and accommodation models across all vulnerable groups;

• Ensure services are high quality and delivering positive outcomes;

• Improve access to services, to ensure that services are flexible and able to respond to a wide range of needs and, where appropriate, explore opportunities for regional and subregional working, and

• Provide a mix of generic and targeted services.


6.4 Throughout 2013 the Supporting People Programme is going through a fundamental process of change. Following the Independent Review of the Supporting People Programme in Wales undertaken by Professor Sir Mansel Aylward in 2010 a series of recommendations are being implemented which will change the way that Supporting People is managed. Continuing changes to Supporting People at national level are likely to have budget implications, which will need to be taken into consideration when planning the maintenance and development of services.

6.5 Revised guidance issued in July 2012 outlines a new

delivery structure for the Supporting People Programme in Wales, which focuses on local, regional and national working to achieve: • Improvement to services and outcomes to the end user;

• Probity, accountability, transparency and scrutiny; • Implementation based upon the principles of equality, collaboration and coproduction;

• Provision of strategic oversight and direction in line with national, regional and local strategy and Supporting People Commissioning plans;

• A system underpinned by a robust and enforceable regime of governance.

6.6 See Appendix 4 for the current list of Supporting People services

Disabled Facilities Grants

6.7 Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG’s) are a statutory obligation placed on the Local Authority to assist with the housing needs of people with disabilities or mobility issues. The Housing White Paper promotes continued investment in these adaptations to help people live independently in their own homes when disability or mobility issues affect their quality of life. In Wrexham, a range of aids and adaptations were provided in 2012/2013, at a cost of £3.35 million:

• 240 Disabled Facilities Grants • 815 Minor adaptations (Council properties) • Minor adaptations (Private properties)

6.8 Typically, these include stair lifts, handrails, lifting aids and creating a level access environment.

Specialist Accommodation

6.9 For some families, an adaptation to the existing property will not be enough, and for these people a specialist property is needed. Typically, this property would have level access, a wet room, larger circulation areas and strengthened joists for ceiling hoists to be fitted if necessary. At the moment, we currently have at least 10 families who need this type of accommodation and Wrexham County Borough is currently short of family accommodation of this type.

6.10 Properties which fit this description could be provided by either the social or the private sector and either be for sale or rent. As with the Older Persons Housing Study, this highlights the need for more bungalows in the Borough.

6.11 As the children in these families grow up and require their own independent accommodation there is also a need to develop some shared accommodation, which would enable young people to be independent but they could share caring services.

Homeless Provision

6.12 The National Homeless Plan for Wales (2009) has homeless prevention at the heart of its vision for improving services and interventions for those faced with homelessness, through early intervention and encouraging people to seek help before their situation reaches crisispoint. The Plan recognises the important role which the private rented sector will need to play in combating homelessness.

6.13 One of the ways in which Wrexham will deal with the challenge of the increasing enquiries and presentations that will inevitably arise from welfare reform is by increasing the focus on homeless prevention. This has been highlighted in the Code of Guidance for Local Authorities on Allocation of Accommodation and Homelessness 2012, and is recognised as being a key area of work for the Housing Advice Team.


6.14 It is recognised the Welfare Reform will have an impact on peoples’ ability to continue to pay for their accommodation. Wrexham will continue to work with regional partners to explore local and regional initiatives to mitigate the impacts of the Welfare Reform and Universal Credit on levels of homelessness in Wrexham. A dedicated Welfare Reform team is being set up to consider these issues directly.

6.15 It is recognised generally that the private rented sector has a key role to play in addressing issues of homelessness. The Housing White Paper sets out a provision for using the private rented sector as one of the options to fulfil the statutory duty to provide accommodation to those that are homeless and in priority need. Wrexham now has a dedicated team in place to make more effective links with private sector landlords and develop good practice in this area.

6.16 In total, the Homeless team gave advice and assistance to 2,370 households in the financial year 2012/13. The number of homeless applications made during 2012/2013, and the total number of households to which the Council owed a full statutory duty has decreased over the past year.

Applications

Full Duty

2011 / 2012

771

466

2012 / 2013

652

313

Table 2 Homeless Applications

6.17 The reason for this decrease in formal presentations is the increased focus on prevention work, which is clearly a successful formula and will be extended in the future.

6.18 The main reasons for loss of last settled accommodation in 2012/13 among those accepted as a full duty owed were:

• Parent no longer willing to accommodate 19% • Loss of rented or tied accommodation 17% • In institution or care 18% • Breakdown of relationship with partner 11% involving violence

6.19 One of the main challenges arising from the Housing White paper for Wales is the proposal to extend the current duty beyond the current priority need groups. This will, if implemented, have significant implications for numbers presenting and associated resource implications.

6.20 For those who are found to be homeless in priority need and unintentionally so, the Council aims to reduce reliance on temporary accommodation for people we are obliged to rehouse, to achieve more effective accommodation outcomes for them.

6.21 Throughout the life of this strategy, homeless provision will be reviewed and developed, in response to the changes arising from Welfare Reform, and the proposed legislation set out in the White Paper. Wrexham will keep abreast of emerging best practice to ensure that the service continues to provide effective support to those who are at risk of, or are experiencing, homelessness, throughout the challenges which lie ahead.

Gypsy and Travellers Service Needs

6.22 Although the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment has yet to be completed, the survey did ask questions about support needs and adaptations.

6.23 44% of respondents indicated that they had a family member with a health or social care need with a further 3% suggesting they would have in the future. 7 respondents reported that they had difficulty walking or getting up stairs.


6.24 Adaptations can be made to the amenity blocks to help with mobility issues, but would not normally be made to caravans or trailers.

Housing for Older people

6.25 The Older Persons Housing Needs and Aspirations Study (2013) will be a complementary document to the Local Housing Strategy and its recommendations will be incorporated into the Delivery Plans. The current provision for older people in Wrexham is set out below, and will be commented on in the Study.

Extra Care

6.26 Extra care housing aims to meet the housing, care and support needs of older people, while helping them to maintain their independence in their own private accommodation. It gives on site flexible care that adapts to residents' changing needs and promotes their independence.

6.27 In 2011, The Department of Health commissioned an evaluation of Extra Care Schemes which concluded:

• When matched with a group of equivalent people moving into residential care, costs were the same or lower in extra care housing.

• Outcomes were generally very positive, with most people reporting a good quality of life.

• Better outcomes and similar or lower costs indicate that extra care housing appears to be a costeffective alternative for people with the same characteristics who currently move into residential care. (Study carried out by Housing Learning & Improvement Network/University of Kent's Personal Social Services Research Unit)

6.28 Plas Telford Extra Care is Wrexham’s new housing scheme for people over the age of 55 and was opened in 2012. Designed to promote independent living, the facilities include 54 selfcontained apartments with access to communal rooms, the onsite restaurant, a hairdressing salon, a cinema and a hobbies and craft room. Plas Telford is managed by Clwyd Alyn Housing Association in partnership with Wrexham Council.


Sheltered Housing

6.29 Wrexham County Borough Council manages 22 sheltered schemes. These differ from residential or nursing homes as each tenant has their own selfcontained flat, bedsit or bungalow. The residents are fully independent, with a warden and a Community Alarm Centre to provide 24hour cover in the case of emergencies. Resources are targeted to those who are most in need of support, based on a clear assessment process.

6.30 However, these properties need updating and refurbishing to better meet the needs of the older residents who use them. Some of the specialist housing stock is problematic in terms of meeting the future accommodation needs of older people, in particular bedsit accommodation and some very small one bedroom units.

6.31 The RSL’s in Wrexham provide a variety of schemes designed to meet the needs of older people. These range from sheltered schemes, which may offer a visiting warden and community alarm service, to properties which have been designated for people aged 50+ due to their location, or property type.

Visiting Warden Service

6.32 The Visiting Warden Service provided by Wrexham Council was previously available only to tenants of sheltered housing. A review of provision has resulted in the development of a more flexible service that is ‘tenure neutral’. People living in their own homes, including those living in isolated rural communities, are now able to benefit from this support, enabling them to live there independently for longer. Changes in the service have meant that the resources will be targeted to those who are most in need of the support.

Telecare

6.33 Telecare is a 24 hour service which operates 365 days a year. Technology is used to help vulnerable people to live independently in their own homes. A range of equipment is linked to the response centre through the phone line. The service currently supports approximately 3,500 service users throughout Wrexham County Borough, and contributes to aiding hospital discharge, avoiding unscheduled care and supporting people to continue living in the community.

6.34 A 24/7 Mobile Response Service is available to everyone who uses Telecare. Staff respond if the person is unwell or needs assistance. The staff are also trained to assist people up following a fall if they are not injured, thus avoiding the need to call an ambulance. There were over 1,300 Mobile Response visits made in 2012/13.



• Implement agreed recommendations of Older Persons’ Housing Needs Assessment;

• Implement agreed recommendations of Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, including support needs;

• As part of developing the LDP seek mechanisms to ensure that 18 25% of new homes are accessible to those with mobility difficulties; and

• Encourage the development of bungalows to meet the requirements of older people and wheelchair accessible properties for those with mobility difficulties;

• Further develop homeless prevention services in line with the Homelessness Code of Guidance;

• Review homelessness services to meet the demands arising from Welfare Reform and Universal Credit;

• Through use of the private rented sector and the Social Lettings Agency (when established) reduce the use of temporary accommodation;

• Improve the access to housing through a simple, fair and transparent allocations policy, backed up with realistic housing options advice;

• Investigate the feasibility of a ‘one stop shop’ housing advice service, to cover all tenures and all kinds of housing;

• Ensure optimum use of Supporting People funding by reviewing, and where necessary reconfiguring, services to achieve value for money and the most appropriate service provision to meet identified needs in Wrexham;

• Develop an Adapted Housing Register;

• Work with private developers and Housing Associations to develop larger, wheelchair accessible properties;

• Develop a clear strategy for forward planning of disabled accommodation;

• Review the current Sheltered Housing provision.

To Provide Better Services to Improve People’s Lives We Will:

APPENDIX 1 EVIDENCE BASE

Table 1 Household Numbers for Wrexham

Year 2011 2016 2021 2026

Total 57,029 (actual Census 2011)

61,808 64,738 67,410

2010 projections produced by the Corporate Research and Information Unit, Conwy County Borough Council.

2012 2017 2022 % Rise over 10 Years

1 person 19,118 21,191 23,377 22%

2 person (no children) 19,673 21,074 22,181 13%

2 person (1 adult, 1 child) 2,256 2,557 2,866 27%

3 person (no children) 3,624 3,510 3,347 8%

3 person (2 adults, 1 children) 4,019 4,045 4,032 0%

3 person (1 adult, 2 children) 1,060 1,145 1,252 18%

4 person (no children) 1,118 1,038 ,949 15%

4 person (2+ adults, 1+ children) 5,543 5,394 5,279 5%

4 person (1 adult, 3 children) ,388 ,437 ,494 27%

5+ person (no children) ,263 ,252 ,241 8%

5+ person (2+ adults, 1+ children) 2,796 2,663 2,574 8%

5+ person (1 adult, 4+ children) ,112 ,118 ,126 13%

Table 2 All household numbers for Wrexham by household type

2010 projections produced by the Corporate Research and Information Unit, Conwy County Borough Council.


Table 3 Income bands for households in Wrexham

Income Bands Number of Households As a Percentage of County Households

05k 2,077 3.5%

510k 8,063 13.5%

1015k 7,700 12.9%

1520k 6,251 10.5%

2025k 5,038 8.5%

2530k 4,397 7.4%

3035k 3,896 6.5%

3540k 3,755 6.3%

4045k 3,258 5.5%

45k and above 15,123 25.4%

© CACI Paycheck 2012

Table 4 Population Figures by Age Group For Wrexham

All Ages 015 1624 2544 4564 65+

134,844 24,182 16,482 35,821 35,508 22,851

2011 Census – ONS

Table 5 – Projected Number of People age 65 and above

Year 2011 2016 2021 2026

Wrexham 23,877 27,701 30,678 33,548

2011 Census – ONS


Table 6 Dwelling Stock Estimates By Tenure 2011

Tenure Owned Outright

Owned with a mortgage or loan

Shared ownership

Rented from Council

Housing Association

Private Landlord or letting agency

Private Rented Other

Living Rent free

England & Wales

30.8% 32.7% 0.8% 9.4% 8.2% 15.3% 1.4% 1.4%

Wales 36.29% 31.57% 0.34% 9.6% 6.95% 12.14% 1.52% 1.6%

Wrexham 30.4% 33.2% 0.4% 19.2% 3.3% 10.6% 1.3% 1.7%

Table 7 Lower Quartile Prices by dwelling type and bedroom count in Wrexham as of May 2013

Dwelling type and bedroom count

Wrexham LQ Average House Price

Wrexham AverageHouse Price

1 bed Prices (Flat) £68,750 £71,800

2 bed Prices (Flat) £76,000 £96,700

2 bed Prices (House) £82,500 £102,700

3 bed Prices (House) £110,000 £140,400

4 bed Prices (House) £190,000 £248,500

© Hometrack May 2013

Table 8 Average lower quartile prices in relation to required household income

Tenure Type LQ Price in the Household Deposit Required % of County County as of May Income Threshold (Based on 79% Households below 2013 Loan Value Level) the threshold

1 bed Prices (Flat) £68,750 £16,458 £14,438 30%

2 bed Prices (Flat) £76,000 £18,194 £15,960 40.4%

2 bed Prices (House) £82,500 £19,750 £17,325 40.4%

3 bed Prices (House) £110,000 £26,333 £23,100 48.9%

4 bed Prices (House) £190,000 £45,485 £39,900 74.6%

CACI Paycheck 2012 – Hometrack May 2013


Table 9 Private Rent affordability thresholds based on the WG 25% affordability level

Tenure Type Average Annual Rent Household Income % of County Households Threshold below the threshold

1 Bedroom Renting (Private ) £4,784 £19,136 40.4%

2 Bedroom Renting (Private ) £5,980 £23,920 47.8%

3 Bedroom Renting (Private) £6,864 £27,456 56.3%


Table 10 Intermediate Rent affordability thresholds based on the WG’s 25% affordability

Property Average Annual Rent Household Income % of County Households Threshold below the threshold

1 Bedroom Renting (Intermediate) £3,848 £15,392 30%

2 Bedroom Renting (Intermediate) £4,784 £19,136 40.4%

3 Bedroom Renting (Intermediate) £5,512 £22,048 48.9%


Table 11 Average Weekly Rent levels across tenures in the County

Tenure Type 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom

Renting (WCBC) £53.83 £66.35 £75.58

Renting (Housing Association) £61.60 £71.40 £78.30

Renting (Intermediate) £74.00 £92.00 £106.00

Renting (Private) £91.00 £109.00 £126.00

© Hometrack & StatsWales


Croesn

ewyd

d Road

Ruthin Road

A483(T)

APPENDIX 2 Western Gateway WESTERN GATEWAY SITE

Footpath / Cycleway into Town Centre

Wrexham Technology Park Housing

Phase 3 (Western Gateway)

This map is based on the Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100023429. 2011

Seiliwyd y map hwn ar ddeunydd yr Arolwg Ordnans gyda chaniatâd yr Arolwg Ordnans ar ran Rheolwr Llyfrfa Ei Mawrhydi © hawlfraint y Goron. Mae atgynhyrchu heb ganiatâd yn torri hawlfraint y Goron a gall hyn arwain at erlyniad neu achos sifil. Rhif trwydded 100023429. 2011


Proposed Joint Emergency

Service Scheme

Wrexham Technology Park Phases 1 & 2

Ramada Hotel

Wrexham Maelor Hospital

Housing

Morrisons

Wrexham Local Housing Strategy 47

APPENDIX 3 APPROVED LDP2 DELIVERY AGREEMENT (JANUARY 2013)

Stage Local Development Plan Steps

SA/ SEA Steps Start/completion Dates

A Definitive Stages

Delivery Agreement (Regulations 9 and 10)

• Prepare, amend (if appropriate) and agree/ approve

October 2012 January 2013

Predeposit participation (Regulation 14) Issues and Options

• Develop and consider the implications of the evidence base

• Develop strategic vision and objectives

• Identify critical issues and alternative strategic spatial options

• Set the context and establish the baseline

• Prepare methodology, objectives and indicators

• Decide on the Scoping Report

January July 2013

Predeposit public consultation (six weeks) (Regulations 15 and 16) Preferred Strategy

• Evaluate alternative strategic spatial options

• Select preferred spatial strategy

• Appraise the Plan's strategic alternative options

• Assess the effects of the Plan • Assess policies or proposals that may have significant environmental effects

May July 2014

Deposit Local Development Plan (six weeks) (Regulations 17, 18 and 19)

• Statutory consultation on the full Plan and related documents

• Prepare and publish the Sustainability Appraisal (including the Environmental Report)

May July 2015


Stage Local Development Plan Steps

SA/ SEA Steps Start/completion Dates

B Indicative Stages

Consultation on submitted new or alternative site proposals (six weeks) (Regulations 20 and 21) Alternative Sites Consultation

• Evaluate the potential contribution August September of submitted new or alternative 2015 site proposals (including those requesting the removal of allocations or changes to site boundaries)

• Consider representations received and responses thereto

Submission to Welsh Government for Examination (Regulation 22)

• Amend the Sustainability Appraisal (including the Environmental Report)

December 2015

Independent Examination in Public (Regulation 23) Public Examination

• Test "soundness" of the Plan • Prepare and publish a statement of how sustainable development is considered in the Plan

April 2016 (dependent on Planning Inspectorate)

Publication of Planning Inspector’s report (Regulation 24) Inspector’s Report

September 2016 (dependent on Planning Inspectorate)

Adoption (Regulation • Making the Plan operational December 2016 25) (dependent on

Planning Inspectorate)

Monitoring • Monitor the significant Annually (Regulation 37) environmental effects of the

Plan's implementation


APPENDIX 4 SUPPORTING PEOPLE SERVICES

Client group Number of people supported at one time

Accommodation based services

Home based services

Service description

Domestic Abuse

30 10 20 Supporting People funds several providers of Domestic Abuse services at a number of locations across Wrexham County Borough. Services include women’s refuge accommodation; dispersed refuge accommodation for both women and men; and floating support for both women and men.

Learning Disability

149 112 37 WCBC Social Services receive funding from Supporting People for the tenancy support element of services provided to tenants in group homes. Supporting People also funds supported accommodation, floating support, and supported tenancy networks for people with learning disabilities in Wrexham County Borough.

Mental Health 88 30 58 Working closely with Community Mental Health, Supporting People funds services including floating support to enable people diagnosed with mental health problems to maintain their tenancies; support to people in recovery or working towards independent living; and more intensive support both in tenants’ own homes and in supported accommodation.

Alcohol 15 4 Misuse

Drug misuse 15 4

11 Supporting People funds Accommodationbased, moveon, and floating support schemes in Wrexham for people with a current or past

11 problem with alcohol and/or drug use; who need support to work towards an independent tenancy or who are at risk of losing their existing tenancy due to their inability to maintain it.

Physical 21 21 0 Supporting People funds the housing support Disability element of services provided in a shared housing

scheme in Wrexham which also provides care; and a scheme providing housingrelated support to tenants in self contained adapted bungalows in Wrexham which aims to assist integration into the community and sustain independent living.


Client group Number of people supported at one time

Accommodation based services

Home based services

Service description

Young Single Homeless and Care Leavers

72 51 21 A range of accommodation options is provided, including floating support, Foyer, supported hostel accommodation and selfcontained flats with communal facilities for group work and social events. Some floating support and selfcontained accommodation schemes have the capacity to support young single parents.

Offenders 10 10 Tenants in selfcontained accommodation in Wrexham receive support to enable them to address offending issues and sustain independent tenancies.

Homeless/ Potentially Homeless

244 40 204 Schemes which specifically address homelessness include directaccess hostel accommodation, support for people in temporary accommodation, and floating support schemes which aim to prevent homelessness. In addition to designated services for homeless or potentially homeless people, all supporting people schemes are intended to enable service users to maintain tenancies and live independently in their own home, and thus contribute to homelessness prevention.

Chronic Illness including HIV/AIDS

9 9 Wrexham Supporting People contributes funds for 9 places in Wrexham as part of a scheme providing housing related support to assist people living with HIV in North Wales. The support provided aims to help prevent problems that could lead to tenancy breakdown and homelessness.

Older People 1098 824 274 Support services for older people include: Extra care accommodation; sheltered housing schemes provided by WCBC and other social landlords; emergency alarm schemes to help maintain independence; floating support for older people with mental health issues; and shortterm support to access practical solutions to enable older people to maintain independent living in their own homes.

Telecare Alarms

4500 4500 The Telecare scheme is available to both tenants and home owners and enables older people and other vulnerable people to stay safe in the community through a 24 hour, 365 day emergency link to a contact centre. In addition to the basic telecare service, enhanced support can be offered according to individuallyassessed need, if required.


APPENDIX 5 GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Term Description

Additional Licensing Scheme A scheme which requires all landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Wrexham to apply for a licence.

Affordable Housing Subsidised and discounted market rate housing for people whose income does not enable them to buy or rent property suitable for their needs in the open market.

Arbed A programme of investment which aims to help eradicate fuel poverty and boost economic development and regeneration in Wales.

Building Research Establishment An organisation which carries out research and provides advice on achieving better buildings, communities and businesses.

Carbon Emissions Reduction Target

An obligation on energy companies in Great Britain to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from homes.

Code Of Guidance On Allocations

A Welsh Government document which provides guidance and recommendations to local authorities on the factors they must take into account when drawing up their individual allocation schemes.

Common Housing Register A housing register covering a specified area, where all housing providers subscribe, instead of holding their own list.

Community Land Trusts A mechanism whereby land and other assets can be used for community benefits such as housing.

Community Energy Saving Programme

A programme designed to help households across Great Britain, in areas of low income, to improve energy efficiency standards and reduce fuel bills. CESP ended in 2012.

Commuted sums A sum given to the Council in lieu of the affordable housing planning obligation.

Cooperative Housing A variety of schemes where tenants become members through buying a share, and play an active role in managing the properties.

Disabled Facilities Grant A mandatory grant scheme to make adaptations to properties.

Discount for sale A form of affordable housing which allows eligible buyers to purchase new build properties at a discount.

Essex Review A report on affordable housing published in 2008, which recommended urgent changes to the way that affordable housing is regulated, funded, assessed and delivered in Wales.

Fuel poverty A household is considered to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10 percent of its disposable income on fuel for heating, cooking etc.


Term Description

Homebuy A grant or loan to allow eligible first time buyers to access housing. This makes the transaction classed as ‘Affordable Housing’ as the money is recycled to the next purchase.

Gifted Units On developments over a certain size, developers are obliged to provide affordable housing. Where this is not possible, the developer can negotiate to gift the equivalent value in the form of units to the Council.

Houses In Multiple Occupation Properties which are occupied by three or more tenants, living in rooms, bedsits or flats, where facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms are shared, and buildings converted entirely into selfcontained flats where less than two thirds are in owner occupation and where the conversion did not comply with the 1991 Building Regulations.

Health and Housing Safety A system (set out in legislation) for evaluating the potential risks to health and safety Rating from any deficiencies identified in dwellings.

Housing Market Areas/Local Local authorities can effectively plan future developments in specific areas, by Housing Market Area identifying housing market areas. This process involves using information such as travel Assessments (LHMA) to work patterns, house prices, and household movement between areas.

Housing Association/Registered Nonprofit making, independent bodies which build and manage accommodation. Social Landlord (RSL)

Intermediate rent A subsidised rent level higher than the rent for social rented properties but below the private sector levels.

Lifetime Homes Standard Properties designed to be accessible and flexible in their design allowing adaptations in the future.

Local Housing Allowance The equivalent of Housing Benefit for the private rented sector.

Low cost homeownership A suite of affordable housing products.

Lower quartile The median average of the lower half of a set of data.

National Landlords Association An organisation which provides advice and support to private landlords.

Loan to value The ratio of the mortgage or loan to the value of the property.

Private sector Leasing/Social A scheme whereby the Council can manage or can commission another organisation Lettings Agency to let out and manage private sector properties on a not for profit basis.

Private sector stock condition Research and surveys carried out to assess the condition of owneroccupied and survey private rented properties.

Social Rented Housing Properties managed by local authorities and housing associations, and allocated on the basis of need.

Shared Equity An affordable housing product which allows the purchaser to buy a share of the property. The remaining share is held by the Council or a housing association.

Social Housing Grant Social Housing Grant is allocated to housing associations for the development of affordable housing in line with the Local Housing Strategy.


Term Description

Securebydesign Creating a layout for new developments which deters criminal activity.

Stock Transfer The transfer of some or all of a council’s housing stock to a housing association.

Supporting People A government funded programme which provides housingrelated support to help vulnerable people to live as independently as possible.

Unitary Development Plan A document which sets out the Council's intentions for land use over a 15 – 20 year period.

Welfare Reform The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduced a wide range of reforms, designed to make the benefits and tax credits systems fairer and simpler.

Welsh Housing Quality Standard The minimum standard set by the Welsh Government which all social rented stock should meet.

Housing White Paper 2012 Welsh Government proposals for new legislation to be introduced in the first Housing Bill for Wales.


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