RESOLIS COMMUNITY COUNCIL &
HIGHLANDS SMALL COMMUNITIES HOUSING TRUST
HOUSING SURVEY – SUMMER 2003
Following the general questionnaire which Resolis Community Council completed in Spring 2003, it was decided to ask the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust to carry out a dedicated questionnaire survey to establish if the community felt there was sufficient housing need to justify the provision of new and affordable housing in and around Resolis. This report collates and offers a analysis of those survey results.
Summary of Resolis Housing Needs findings and provisional conclusions
1Response rate to questionnaire
Number distributed – 264
Number completed returns – 103 (39%)
2Housing Needs identified
A total of 27 respondents clearly indicated that they, or someone in their family, had a housing need. Of these 20 were currently living in the Resolis area while another 7 were concerned with the needs of former members of their household currently living elsewhere.
Of those expressing a housing need who lived locally the following reasons were given.
In some cases more than one reason was stated by the respondent i.e Living in Short-term accommodation and in overcrowded accommodation.
◊Likely to become homeless in the near future(3)
◊Living in a caravan or chalet(1)
◊Living in short-term accommodation(5)
◊Living in tied housing(2)
◊Overcrowding/need a larger house(1)
◊Young adults in house seeking independent housing (11)
◊Require amenity housing suitable for older residents(1)
◊Personal relationship breakdown (separate housing need)(2)
◊House needs major repairs/improvements(2)
◊House needs disabled person(s) adaptations(1)
◊Need to move to another more suitably designed house for
someone with particular care needs (eg. restricted mobility) (1)
◊Cannot afford present housing costs(7)
◊Former member of household would return if housing were available (7)
Other comments recorded in this section
◊Housing for Young adult with acute care needs
◊Would like Family member who is in poor health and has dependent children to return
◊Otherpersonal reasons which have led to separate housing need were indicated in this section and have been included in the appropriate section above.
Housing size required by those who expressed a clear housing need
◊For a one bedroomed house(4)
◊For a one/two bedroomed house(1)
◊For a two-bedroomed house(9)
◊For a two-bedroomed house suitable for restricted mobility(1)
◊For a two/three bedroomed house(2)
◊For a three-bedroomed house(5)
◊For a three-bedroomed house suitable for restricted mobility(1)
◊For a four-bedroomed house, (3)
◊For a four/five bedroomed house suitable for restricted mobility(1)
Housing Option preferences of all who expressed a housing need
◊For Housing Association Rental(13)
◊For Private Rental( 3)
Conclusions on the expressions of need for rented housing: that 16 of the households which have expressed a housing need would be interested in renting. 13 would prefer a housing association or council owned property in the area. (Of these, 10 are current Resolis residents and a further 3 are responding on behalf of those would like to return). A further 3 would prefer to rent from the private sector and some of the reasons for either preference held are noted on Page 5.
(It should also be noted that 9 of these who would rent from a Housing Association and who are included in the rental statistic above are also interested in low-cost home-ownership if it were available and affordable to them)
Housing Option preferences (Continued)
(Please note that in some cases more than one option/preference would be considered)
◊For shared ownership(10)
◊Buying an existing house with the aid of a Rural Home Ownership Grant(13)
◊Building a new house with the aid of a Rural Home Ownership Grant(13)
◊Self-building a new house (singly or as part of a group) with the aid of RHOG(13)
Conclusions on the expressions of need for other ‘low cost home ownership’ options: that around half the of the 27 households who expressed a housing need (either for themselves or a member of their family) would possibly be interested in securing ‘low cost home ownership’ by either building or buying a house with the use of a RHOG. Of the 10 respondents interested in Shared Ownership, 7 would also be interested in meeting their housing need by buying or building a property with the use of a RHOG.
Conclusions of the expressions of specific housing needs: The overall conclusion drawn is that of the 27 respondents who have expressed a housing need in the Resolis area, the main requirement is to provide for young adults (11) who now need their own accommodation. Most of these would wish to rent accommodation although 3 expressed an interest in building their own house perhaps with the use of a RHOG. Varied reasons of high housing costs which meant an inability to compete in the housing market, and the concerns caused by short term accommodation were also recorded as other reasons.
Local attitudes towards the general principle of providing new homes in the Resolis area specifically to meet locally affordable housing needs (regardless of personal need)
◊78 of the 103 respondents would like to see new homes
◊6 of the 103 respondents would not like to see new homes
Local attitudes about the groups of people any grant-assisted housing in the Resolis area should be aimed at helping
AgreeDisagree
◊Local People (i.e. people with an established local connection
whether from living, working or having family in the Resolis 76
Community Council Area
◊Young Couples 62 1
◊Families with children 59 2
◊Young single people 42 8
◊Older person households (singles or couples) 47 7
◊People with particular care needs(eg. restricted mobility) 46 7
◊Amenity housing for established Resolis residents* 57 5
◊Incoming “Key Workers” 22 17
◊Incoming Retirees 12 20
Other Comments offered in this section
◊Those who cannot afford housing otherwise, we should not discriminate (5)
◊Housing for all to rejuvenate/develop community (3)
◊Anyone whose aim is to contribute to the community
◊Integrate affordable housing for people of all ages
◊Prioritise interests of local families
◊* At least 2 elderly people who always lived in parish had to move to
another parish to obtain sheltered housing
◊Beware being too inward looking
◊Define Key Workers
◊Each case should be looked at in its own merit rather than providing housing for specific groups
Conclusions on the local attitudes towards the provision of new homes in Resolis:
That just over 73% of the total of 103 respondents (with our without a personal housing need) would like to see the provision of adequate housing for people in Resolis in a variety of categories as shown above. .
Regarding location, 22 preferred the village hall area while 2 did not. 19 opted for the new school location and again 2 did not wish this site. 16 preferred any new housing to be in the wider community and again 2 did not. Other site suggestions are listed below.
Local attitudes about empty houses in the Resolis area being brought back into full –time residential use
54, (52%) of all respondents said they would like to see empty properties being brought back into full-time residential use, and 5 did not.
Some of those who thought that empty properties should be brought back into residential use offered the following locations as examples where this could happen.
Steading Complex at Newhall / 1 / Underused Farm steadings & houses generally / 6Derelict Houses at Jeminaville / 4 / Poyntsfield Farm / 1
Second/Holiday Homes / 1 / Cottage at Wood of Brae near Mounthigh / 2
Ruins off Culliecudden straight / 1 / Several properties in Culbokie area / 2
Newhall Mains / 3 / Large Barns near ResolisSchool / 1
Old House near Tighsona (?) / 1 / Anywhere on Black Isle / 2
Existing Culliecudden and Newhall schools when new Resolis school is built / 7
Conclusions on the local attitudes towards the above empty properties being brought back into residential use in Resolis: that of the 25 suggestions offered 7, (28%), favour the existing Newhall and Culliecudden schools sites being used for housing when the new school is built. This is followed by a general suggestion to utilise unused steadings and houses. Other suggestions are shown above.
GENERAL COMMENTS ON HOUSING ISSUES FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
Regardless of whether they had a personal housing need, participants were invited to send in any comments they would like to make on housing related issues. Comments are recorded in the following categories.
Comments on General Housing & Planning Policies
◊Require smaller retirement house, ground available but Planning Department’s “Presumption Against” Policy not helpful.
◊Lack of planning permission and builders only building for high wage earners.
◊Family member has a site but planning policy will not allow building. This needs to be changed or this community will lose educated qualified people forced to move elsewhere
◊Advised by planners against applying to build single storey house in garden in Jeminaville
◊We need agricultural equipment storage and have site for that and house but planning policy will not allow us to build. Very unfair policy.
◊The Black Isle Plan for Resolis is too restrictive and limited – e.g. we know that landowners of 2 areas zoned for housing are unlikely to sell. Need more choices on Resolis Plan.
◊Use the 2 sites freed when schools close for First Houses, not mansions
Comments on Housing Need and Provisions
◊Old Farm buildings empty due to tenancy regulations stating they have to be rented by farm workers. There are no farm workers any more.
◊There are no single people affordable rentals
◊At £440 per month we are paying too much rent, with council tax extra we have no savings to put towards a deposit to buy
◊Renting is a waste of money
◊Private Rentals are too expensive (2)
◊Would like to stay in parish with my 2 children but may not be able to due high costs and unsecure tenure
◊More basic rented needed, avoid subsidised which may be a drain on resources of those who can ill-afford extra drain on their income
◊Need more sheltered housing close to existing population centres
Restore Empty Properties (See also Page 4) - Comments
◊Most farmers now have reduced livestock for various reasons. Small areas could be converted to provide accommodation for single or small families
◊Restore only old houses, not barns
Appropriate Location and of any new housing - Comments
◊Don’t build new in Jeminaville – historic listed buildings
◊Not in the fields between Newhall and the old steading
◊Build at Newhall old school to build up the community
◊Build near to new school with comment, “Safety from Cars”
◊Within village hall/new school area would help create a “hub”
◊Develop “Starter” apartments at the Newhall and CulliecuddenSchools when these close
◊At site of old schools (7)
◊Between Resolis and Fortrose
Concerns about impact on school, roads and related services - Comments
◊The Council are not offering permission to build because they don’t want the upkeep of roads/gritting in winter/building roads etc.
◊Build near public transport (2)
◊Bus service needs to improve
◊Build near amenities and services
◊Need transportation into major town areas for work and social activities
Other community views related to general housing issues/impacts
◊Provide housing for all to rejuvenate/develop community which is sparse and dying due to young people moving away and retired people buying all affordable small properties.
◊Incoming Key Workers normally come from good areas and can afford it the same as Incoming Retirees.
◊Also need employment in this area
◊Didn’t move back to Resolis after returning from Edinburgh but there was no council house large enough and also because the area needs more amenities to encourage young families to return
◊There should be a mix of houses to be bought by whoever needs them
◊More of a mix needed, too much for older people
◊Look after existing amenity housing for older residents
◊Integrate Amenity Housing for elderly into affordable housing areas suitable for all ages. Older people do not want to be stigmatised in old folks “ghettos”.
Other misc comments
◊I own my own house but feel strongly for people who are not allowed planning permission
◊Rural Home Ownership Grants: Good Idea (2) Sounds Ideal (1)
◊Define Affordable in terms of local (Inverness area) rates of pay.
e.g. £12,000 pa = £40,000 mortgage, some accommodation still costs less than that
◊Surely difficulty in returning to parish is associated with lack of suitable employment as much as lack of accommodation
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Additional Information as available from the latest Resolis Census (May already be outdated)
All Occupied Housesholds / 133 / 2 Person Households with no children / 42All Household Spaces / 144 / 2 Person Households with dependent children / 33
Owner Occupied / 111 / 2 Person Households & non dependent children / 9
Holiday /Second Home / 6 / Lone Parent Households / 9
Unoccupied/Vacant / 16 / Lone Parent Households (with dependent children) / 6
Rented from Council / 1 / Other Households with dependent children / 4
Privately rented / 14 / People aged 16 - 74 / 268
Other / 7 / Economically Active (of 268) / 175
Additional Information available form Highland Council Services – Statistics from 2001
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