LHS: 04 Addressing Housing Requirements (page 1)

To ensure that there is sufficient supply of houses of the size and type people want, in the areas they want to live and that they can afford.

1. To address the mismatch in supply and demand for social rented housing by reducing shortfalls or oversupply in priority areas by 2009, as identified in Action Plan.

2. To encourage diversification in the tenure mix across North Lanarkshire in specific areas by 2009, as identified in Action Plan, by enabling housing for sale in areas with below average levels of owner occupation.

3. To improve the accessibility and sustainability of housing development by increasing proportion of new build housing built on 'brownfield' sites by 2009.

4. Enable the supply of new build housing stock by 3,974 units by 2008 to meet identified need and anticipated rise in household numbers as agreed in Structure Plan.

5. Continue to develop and monitor council housing management services to meet the requirements of Single Regulatory Framework by end of 2004.

6. Undertake a range of research projects to better inform our understanding of the local housing system by 2009.

Priority areas for investment have been identified through partnership working with Communities Scotland, RSLs and local communities using criteria such as demand patterns, availability of stock type and size and property investment conditions.

Specific areas for investment have been identified using criteria such as demand patterns, availability of stock type and size, house prices by sector and location. This has been done in co-operation with partners such as Communities Scotland and private developers.

With a population of around 320,600, North Lanarkshire has the fourth largest population of any local authority area in Scotland. Overall total population is estimated to remain stable over the Strategy period. A projected increase of numbers of people aged 16-64 years, particularly those aged 35-64 years will occur. Of those aged 16-34 years, there will be a small decline in numbers. It is this group which forms the majority of newly forming households and participate in the 'starter' market for housing.

This may affect demand for smaller sized properties and lower to middle market home ownership options.

The 35-54 year age group is associated with households with an established housing career looking to 'move up the housing ladder'. The numbers in this group will increase slightly over the Strategy period and this may expand demand for middle to upper market housing.

North Lanarkshire has below national levels of its total population in the 65 and 75 years and above age groups. However the rate of population increase in the numbers in these groups will exceed the national average. There will be an increasing and substantial demand for housing across all tenures which is built specifically, or can be adapted, to suit the needs of older people with particular needs (e.g. very sheltered housing) and related housing and home support services.

With over 135,000 households, North Lanarkshire accounts for over 6% of Scotland's total. Between 2004-2009 North Lanarkshire's number of households will increase at a faster rate than that of Scotland as a whole at 3.2%. This will have a significant impact with increased demand for housing. The largest increases will be in single person households and single parent families. Numbers of households consisting of two or more adults only will increase also. Those households of two or more adults with children will decrease in number.

With a stable population but an increasing number of households, the average household size is anticipated to reduce. This implies that demand for smaller number of bedroom houses may increase. However as people's aspirations increase for larger houses, this trend may be offset.