Willoughby on the Wolds, Wysall and Widmerpool

A Detailed Investigation Into the Housing Needs of Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, and Willoughby on the Wolds

Produced by Midlands Rural Housing on Behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council in January 2022.

1. Summary
2. Introduction to Midlands Rural Housing
3. Issues Facing Rural Communities
4. Affordable Housing
5. Housing Provision in Widmerpool
- 5a. House Price Data
6. Housing Provision in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe
- 6a. House Price Data
7. Housing Provision in Willoughby on the Wolds
- 7a. House Price Data
8. Survey Methodology and Purpose
9. Conclusion
Appendix 1 - Housing Needs Analysis
Works Cited

1. Summary

In November 2021, on behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Midlands Rural Housing carried out an independent rural housing needs survey in the villages of Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, and Willoughby on the Wolds.

Prior to it being sent out, the format of the questionnaire, and the questions it contained were agreed with the Local Authority and a parish wide postal address list was provided. In December 2021, 561 questionnaires were sent via Royal Mail directly to households in all three villages. 154 responses were received, giving a response rate of 27%. The results of a housing needs survey are generally considered to be reliable for 5 years. Therefore, this report can be considered valid until January 2027 unless there are any significant changes in the area.

The survey process found 20 respondents that have a need either now in or the next 5 years. However, 10 of those respondents were discounted from the analysis because 9 applicants did not provide enough information for an accurate assessment to be completed, and 1 applicant was suitably housed. However, they did mention a preference which is stated at Table 2 below. The remaining 10 applicants who responded and provided sufficient information in the survey is shown at Table 1.

Summary of housing requirements in the village
Type of Unit	Required Affordable Rented	Required Shared Ownership	Preferred Open Market Homes	Totals
3 bed house	0	1	1	2
2 bed house	2	2	-	2
2 bed ground floor bungalow	1	0	0	1
1 or 2 bed home	2	0	0	2
2 or 3 bed house	0	1	0	1
2 or 3 bed bungalow	0	0	2	2
Total	4	3	3	10

Table 1: Summary of housing requirements in the village

Summary of preferred housing in the village
Type of Unit	Preferred Open Market Homes	Totals
3 or 4 bed house	1	1
3 bed house	3	3
1 bed house	1	1
3 bed bungalow	1	1
2 bed bungalow	2	2
2 bed home	1	1
Total	9	9

Table 2: Summary of preferred housing in the village.

Summary of housing need
Type of Unit	Required Affordable Rented
1 or 2 bed sheltered home	3
Total	3

Table 3: Summary of housing requirements in Shelford

These new homes could be developed on an ‘infill site’ or alternatively on a rural exception site, should one become available and subject to having local support. Subject to local planning rules, open market homes could be used to cross-subsidise the costs of building homes for affordable tenures.

Alternatively, the affordable homes could be provided as part of a larger scale development through a s106 agreement. Any open market housing on such developments could be informed by the open market preferences found in this report. Both options are subject to local authority planning policy.

2. Introduction to Midlands Rural Housing

Midlands Rural Housing (MRH) is a non-asset holding, profit for purpose organisation that works to promote and enable the provision of homes in rural settlements. We do this by working closely with local authorities, town and parish councils, registered providers and local communities in order to investigate the need for affordable housing.

MRH is the appointed Rural Housing Enabler Strategic Partner for several local authorities across the Midlands. Local authorities have a duty to assess the level of housing need in their rural settlements, and one way of doing this is through Housing Needs Surveys. MRH provides essential support in this work, by carrying out an agreed program of Housing Needs Surveys, and producing robust, independent analysis reports. In addition to the above, MRH also undertakes work by commission, on behalf of landowners, private developers, planning consultants, Parish Council’s and Neighbourhood Plan groups.

The organisation follows established and approved best practice methodology when undertaking survey work. On adoption of the findings, the results of these surveys are shared with the commissioning client, who may also choose to share the results with the relevant Local Authority and Parish Council.

MRH is a well-respected organisation, recognised for its expertise in this field. In addition to the work, we do locally within communities across rural England, we are also a key lobbyist and influencer both nationally and regionally.

MRH can be contacted at:

Memorial House

Whitwick Business Park

Stenson Road

Leicestershire

LE67 4JP

Email: ginz.kelai@midlandsrural.org.uk

Web: www.midlandsrural.org.uk

3. Issues Facing Rural Communities

According to the latest annual Halifax Rural Housing Review (Halifax, 2017), homes in rural areas across Great Britain are 20% more expensive on average than in urban areas. In financial terms, this percentage equates to £44,454.

However, regionally, these figures increase or decrease dramatically depending on the locality. For example, in the West Midlands, the average house price in rural areas is 47%, or £89,272 higher than the region’s urban areas, and in contrast, the East of England has an average rural housing premium of 9% or £27,765.

Data from the 2017 review shows that first time buyers have found themselves priced out of rural areas. They account for 41% of all mortgaged products in rural areas, compared with 53% in urban areas. Affordability is the main reason for this.

In a local context, figures for the East Midlands show a 38% increase in rural average house prices since 2012. This equates to a rural housing premium of £55,426, compared to urban locations. The local authority districts of Derbyshire Dales and South Northamptonshire have the lowest number of first-time buyers in rural areas, with 29% and 30% respectively.

Areas which are predominantly rural typically have higher house prices than urban locations, thus making them less affordable. In 2016, the average lower quartile house price was 8.3 times the average lower quartile earnings in rural areas, in comparison with 7 times in urban areas.

In 2018, the National Housing Federation stated that ‘the housing crisis in rural England is acute, with the most affordable rural homes costing 8.3 times wages in rural areas’ (National Housing Federation, 2018).

There is often much less housing association and council housing in rural areas, and a higher proportion of non-decent homes, and homes which are energy inefficient. Many areas do not have access to mains gas, which could lead to higher construction and living costs.

In some rural areas, communities have experienced a breakdown in social networks, and this has resulted in an increase in social exclusion and loneliness. This particularly affects the elderly, who are often less mobile and more reliant upon social networks such as day centres, lunch clubs etc. This can lead to a direct impact on health and wellbeing, both physical and mental.

For younger people, living in rural areas can prove to be problematic when it comes to sourcing gainful employment. Work is often low paid, and sometimes seasonal which leads to periods of intermittent employment and unreliable income streams. As a result, younger people often move away from their rural settings in favour of larger towns and cities.

4. Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is defined as housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market. It includes housing that provides a subsidised route to home ownership and/or is essential for local workers. To be acceptable as a form of affordable housing, the tenure must comply with one or more of the following definitions, as set out within the National Planning Policy Framework (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, 2019).

a) Affordable housing for rent: meets all of the following conditions: (a) the rent is set in accordance with the Government’s rent policy for Social Rent or Affordable Rent, or is at least 20% below local market rents (including service charges where applicable); (b) the landlord is a registered provider, except where it is included as a Build to Rent scheme (in which case the landlord need not be a registered provider); and (c) it includes provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. For Build to Rent schemes affordable housing for rent is expected to be the normal form of affordable housing provision (and, in this context, is known as Affordable Private Rent).

b) First Homes provides discounted homes to first time buyers in England who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford one. Under this scheme, first time buyers can buy a new-build home in their community at a discount of 30% on the market price. Across England, but outside of London, property prices will be capped at £250,000 and buyers will be subject to a household income cap of £80,000.

c) Discounted market sales housing: is that sold at a discount of at least 20% below market value. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Provisions should be in place to ensure housing remains at a discount or future eligible households.

d) Other affordable routes to home ownership: is housing provided for sale that provides a route to ownership for those who could not achieve home ownership through the market. It includes shared ownership, relevant equity loans, other low-cost homes for sale (at a price equivalent to at least 20% below market value) and rent to buy (which includes a period of intermediate rent). Where public grant funding is provided, there should be provisions for the homes to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for any receipts to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision or refunded to Government or the relevant authority specified in the funding agreement.

5. Housing Provision in Widmerpool

Widmerpool is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, about 10 miles south-east of Nottingham and some 7.5 miles north-east of Loughborough. It is one of Nottinghamshire’s oldest settlements and is just over a mile west of the A46.

The housing stock profile for Widmerpool is in accordance with Table 4. Detached houses formed the majority with 75 properties, followed by semi-detached properties. There was only 1 flat maisonette or apartment – in a commercial building recorded.

Housing stock profile for Widmerpool
Accommodation Type	Number
House or bungalow – detached	75
House or bungalow – semi-detached	22
House or bungalow – terraced	18
Flat maisonette or apartment – purpose-built block	5
Flat maisonette or apartment – part of a converted or shared house	9
Flat maisonette or apartment – in a commercial building	1
Caravan or other mobile or temporary structure	0
Total	130

Table 4: Housing stock profile for Widmerpool, 2011 Census

Table 5 illustrates the tenure of households in Widmerpool at the time of the 2011 Census. Majority of the homes were either owned outright or owned with a mortgage or loan. Only 1 household was recorded as living in social housing, 11 households were in some form of private rented accommodation and no households were recorded as Shared Ownership (Office for National Statistics, 2022).

Household tenure in Widmerpool
Tenure Type	Number
Owned outright	55
Owned with a mortgage or loan	46
Shared ownership (part owned and part rented)	0
Social rented – Rented from council (Local Authority)	0
Social rented – Other	1
Private landlord or letting agency	11
Private rented – Other	0
Living rent free	1
Total	114

Table 5: Household tenure in Widmerpool, 2011 Census

5a. House Price Data

Buying a home on the open market in rural locations can be expensive and a prospect possibly out of reach for many.

Mortgage lenders base the amount a person can borrow on a multiple of their income, otherwise known as the loan to income ratio. In most circumstances, lenders will cap loans between 3.5 and 4.5 times the annual salary. Additionally, they will look for a deposit between 10% and 20% of the property selling price.

Over the last 5 years, Widmerpool has seen a substantial increase in open market property values, across all property types, as shown below. Zoopla estimates indicate that prices have increased by £124,649; a rise of almost 23%. There have been 10 completed sales since January 2017 in Widmerpool, approximately 2 per year on average over all 3 areas (Zoopla, 2022).

Average price paid: £468,600
Sales: 10
Current average value: £673,577
Value change: increase £124,649

Market activity for Widmerpool, Zoopla 2022

Table 6 presents an account of property values, sale prices and number of sales for detached, semi-detached, terraced homes and flats for the period November 2021 – January 2022. Evidence shows that Detached property types in the village have increased in value, and Semi-detached, Terraced and Flat properties have decreased in value. There have been no market sale completions in the last 3 months in Widmerpool.

Taking the stated values into account and using the loan to income ratio method used by mortgage lenders with the loan capped at 3.5 times annual income, at the high end of the market in Widmerpool, a house buyer would need a minimum deposit of £82,701 (10%) or a maximum of £165,402 (20%) and an annual income (sole or combined) of between £212,659 (with a 10% deposit) and £147,024 (with a 20% deposit) to afford a detached property in Widmerpool valued at £827,010.

At the lower end of the market, a minimum deposit of £33,224 and a sole or combined annual income of £85,435, or a 20% deposit of £66,448 and an income of £59,066 would be required to purchase a semi-detached property valued at £332,247 in the village.

Actual property values - Widmerpool
Property Type	Current Average Value	Average Price Paid	Value Change
Detached	£827,010	-	up £6,088
Semi- detached	£332,247	-	down £591
Terraced	£584,641	-	down £1,280
Flat	£466,894	-	down £805

6. Housing Provision in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe

Wysall is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. It is 11 miles south of Nottingham. According to the 2001 census Wysall had a population of 321, however by the 2011 Census, Wysall was teamed with Thorpe in the Glebe (a neighbouring village) increasing its population to 431.

The housing stock profile for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe is in accordance with Table 7. Detached houses formed the majority with 123 properties, followed by semi-detached properties.

Housing stock profile for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe
Accommodation Type	Number
House or bungalow – Detached	123
House or bungalow – Semi-detached	27
House or bungalow – Terraced	9
Flat, maisonette or apartment – purpose-built block	0
Flat, maisonette or apartment – part of a converted or shared house	1
Flat, maisonette or apartment – in a commercial building	2
Caravan or other mobile or temporary structure	2
Total	164

Table 7: Housing stock profile for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, 2011 Census

Table 8 illustrates the tenure of households at the time of the 2011 Census. Majority of the homes in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe were either owned outright or owned with a mortgage or loan. 5 households were recorded as living in social housing, 15 households were in some form of private rented accommodation and 2 households were recorded as Shared Ownership (Office for National Statistics, 2022).

Summary of housing need
Tenure Type	Number
Owned outright	72
Owned with a mortgage or loan	62
Shared ownership (part owned and part rented)	2
Social rented - Rented from council (Local Authority)	0
Social rented – Other	5
Private landlord or letting agency	13
Private rented – Other	2
Living rent free	1
Total	157

Table 8: Household tenure in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, 2011 Census

6a. House Price Data

Buying a home on the open market in rural locations can be expensive and a prospect possibly out of reach for many.

Over the last 5 years, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe has seen a substantial increase in open market property values, across all property types, as shown below. Zoopla estimates indicate that prices have increased by £129,963; a rise of almost 23%. There have been 21 completed sales since January 2017, approximately 4 per year (Zoopla, 2022).

Average price paid: £610,833
Sales: 21
Current average value: £702,305
Value change: up £129,963

Market activity for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, Zoopla 2022

Table 9 presents an account of property values, sale prices and number of sales for detached, semi-detached, terraced homes and flats for the period November 2021 – January 2022. Like Widmerpool, evidence shows that Detached property types in the Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe have increased in value, and Semi-detached, Terraced and Flat properties have decreased in value. There have been no market sale completions in the last 3 months in the village (Zoopla, 2022).

Taking the stated values into account and using the loan to income ratio method used by mortgage lenders with the loan capped at 3.5 times annual income, at the high end of the market in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, a house buyer would need a minimum deposit of £77,172 (10%) or a maximum of £154,344 (20%) and an annual income (sole or combined) of between £198,444 (with a 10% deposit) and £137,196 (with a 20% deposit) in order to afford a detached property in the village valued at £771,726.

At the lower end of the market, a minimum deposit of £14,914 and a sole or combined annual income of £38,350, or a 20% deposit of £29,828 and an income of £26,513 would be required to purchase a terraced property valued at £149,140 in the village.

Actual property values - Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe
Property Type	Current Average Value	Average Price Paid	Value Change
Detached	£771,726	-	up £5,681
Semi- detached	£445,524	-	down £793
Terraced	£149,140	-	down £326
Flat	£159,377	-	down £275

Table 9: Actual property values and sales data in Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, November - January 2022

7. Housing Provision in Willoughby on the Wolds

Willoughby on the Wolds is a small village in Nottinghamshire, England on the border with Leicestershire. Its nearest neighbouring villages are Wysall, Widmerpool, Wymeswold and Keyworth, with the nearest towns and cities being Loughborough, Melton Mowbray, Nottingham and Leicester. The 2011 Census recorded a population of 572.

The housing stock profile for Willoughby on the Wolds is in accordance with Table 10. Like the previous 2 areas, Detached houses formed the majority with 170 properties, followed by semi-detached with 47 properties of this type.

Housing stock profile for Willoughby on the Wolds
Accommodation Type	Number
House or bungalow – Detached	170
House or bungalow – Semi-detached	47
House or bungalow – Terraced	18
Flat, maisonette or apartment – purpose-built block	1
Flat, maisonette or apartment – part of a converted or shared house	3
Flat, maisonette or apartment – in a commercial building	0
Caravan or other mobile or temporary structure	0
Total	239

Table 10: Housing stock profile for Willoughby on the Wolds, 2011 Census

Table 11 illustrates the tenure of households at the time of the 2011 Census. Majority of the homes in Willoughby on the Wolds were either owned outright or owned with a mortgage or loan. 8 households were recorded as living in social housing, 17 households were in some form of private rented accommodation and 2 households were recorded as Shared Ownership (Office for National Statistics, 2022).

Household tenure in Willoughby on the Wolds
Tenure Type	Required Affordable Rented
Owned outright	114
Owned with a mortgage or loan	83
Shared ownership (part owned and part rented)	2
Social rented - Rented from council (Local Authority)	1
Social rented – Other	7
Private landlord or letting agency	16
Private rented – Other	1
Living rent free	1
Total	225

Table 11: Household tenure in Willoughby on the Wolds, 2011 Census

7a. House Price Data

Over the last 5 years, Willoughby on the Wolds has seen a substantial increase in open market property values, across all property types, as shown below. Zoopla estimates indicate that prices have increased by £77,052; a rise of 18%. There have been 25 completed sales since January 2017, approximately 5 per year (Zoopla, 2022).

Average price paid: £476,222
Sales: 25
Current average value: £498,059
Value change: £77,052

Market activity for Willoughby on the Wolds, Zoopla 2022

Table 12 presents an account of property values, sale prices and number of sales for detached, semi-detached, terraced homes and flats for the period November 2021 – January 2022. Unlike the previous 2 areas, evidence shows that Detached property types in the Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe have decreased in value, and all other property types have increased in value. There have been no market sale completions in the last 3 months in the village.

Taking the stated values into account and using the loan to income ratio method used by mortgage lenders with the loan capped at 3.5 times annual income, at the high end of the market in Willoughby on the Wolds, a house buyer would need a minimum deposit of £53,957 (10%) or a maximum of £107,914 (20%) and an annual income (sole or combined) of between £138,748 (with a 10% deposit) and £95,925 (with a 20% deposit) in order to afford a detached property in the village valued at £539,578.

At the lower end of the market, a minimum deposit of £14,973 and a sole or combined annual income of £145,452, or a 20% deposit of £29,946 and an income of £26,618 would be required to purchase a terraced property valued at £149,730 in the village.

Actual property values - Willoughby on the Wolds
Property Type	Current Average Value	Average Price Paid	Value Change
Detached	£539,578	-	down £149
Semi- detached	£275,975	-	down £4,123
Terraced	£227,887	-	down £2,601
Flat	£149,730	-	down £2,814

Table 12: Actual property values and sales data in Willoughby on the Wolds, November - January 2022

8. Survey Methodology and Purpose

In November 2021, a Housing Needs Survey questionnaire was delivered to every household in the villages of Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe and Willoughby on the Wolds, with 3 December 2021 being the deadline date for responses. Pre-paid envelopes were provided for the return of survey forms directly to MRH, and the survey was also made available online via Survey Monkey. Of the 154 responses received, 130 households returned a paper questionnaire and 24 completed the survey online.

The survey questionnaire is divided into 3 parts:

Part 1 – General information
Part 2 – Life in your village
Part 3 – Housing requirements and housing need

Parts 1 and 2 sought to discover general information about household members, their current housing situation, and their connection to the village. Questions were asked to assess people’s perceptions of what it is like to live in the locality and gave an opportunity for them to make general comments. Part 3 is about identifying the future housing requirements of all household members, and the reasons why they think they are in housing need either now, or in the future.

The survey was conducted to obtain clear evidence of any local housing requirements across a range of tenures for residents in the locality. The information obtained from a housing needs survey is invaluable at a local level for local authority, parish council and neighbourhood planning activities. Such information can be acted on locally and taken on board in decision making processes around housing issues.

Survey data showing a local demand for market housing is considered a ‘preference’. Whether it is appropriate for this to be satisfied in the relevant settlement will be dependent on the consistency of doing so with the Development Plan.

9. Conclusion

Midlands Rural Housing has conducted a detailed study into the current housing requirements of the villages of Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe and Willoughby on the Wolds which is valid until January 2027. This study has investigated the affordable housing needs and the open market housing preferences in the village, resident’s views regarding living in the village and support for local homes to help sustain local communities.

The survey has identified a need for 4 Affordable homes, 3 Shared Ownership homes and a preference for 3 Open Market Homes, in Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe and Willoughby on the Wolds.

The results of this survey have been combined with data held by Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Housing Register, shown at Table 3 in the Summary. The Housing Register indicates 3 applicants with a need in Willoughby on the Wolds. As of March 2022, there are no active applicants living in Widmerpool or Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe on the Housing Register.

Appendix 1 – Housing Needs Analysis

To identify the actual housing need that exists in Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe and Willoughby on the Wolds at the current time, a two-step research process was followed. The first was to analyse the data that came as a direct result of the survey, and the second was to verify with the Local Authority, that the likely allocations suggested by MRH were in alignment with the council’s Allocations Policy.

Respondents were asked to clarify their need in terms of property type and size, together with a preferred tenure type. In assessing the stated need, income levels and likely property prices are considered to ensure that any proposed future housing development will indeed meet the needs of those to be housed. Therefore, a ‘likely allocation/purchase’ is suggested to outline what any housing provision could realistically look like.

Out of the 154 surveys returned, 20 respondents classed themselves as being in housing need either now, or at sometime within the next 5 years. On assessment, 10 of those respondents were discounted from the analysis because 9 respondents did not provide enough information for an accurate assessment to be completed, and 1 respondent is already suitably housed. However, they did mention a preference which is stated at Table 2 in the Summary section of this report.

Once the above had been discounted, a revised total of 10 applicant was deemed to have a housing need. Table 13 presents the analysis from the housing needs survey, which has also been broken down in Table 1 in the Summary section of this report.

Housing needs survey analysis
Ref.	Local Connection	Village	On Housing / Self-Build Register	Household Details	Tenure	Reasons for Need	How Soon Required?	Preferred Home and Tenure	Likely Allocation/ Purchase
1	Lived in the village for 2 – 5 years	Wysall & Thorpe in the Glebe	No	Family member living at home 6+ bedroom house	N/A	To be close to family, give/ receive support	Within 3 years	3-bedroom house. Open market purchase	3-bedroom house. Open market purchase
2	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Widmerpool	No	One person household - 1 bedroom flat	Private Rent	Present home too expensive To be close to family, give/ receive support	Now	1-bedroom house. Open market purchase	1-bedroom house. Affordable Rent
3	Lived in the village for 2 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	No	Couple 4 bedroom house	Private Rent	Cannot manage stairs - Require independent home - To be close to family, give/receive support	Within 3 years	2-bedroom bungalow / flat. Private rent Renting from Housing Association	2-bedroom bungalow / ground floor flat. Affordable rent
4	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Wysall & Thorpe in the Glebe	No	Family member living at home 4 bedroom house	Not applicable	First independent home	Now	2 Bedroom j house/bungalow Shared Ownership - Rent to Buy	1 or 2 bedroom Home Affordable rent
5	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Family member living at home 4 bedroom house	Not applicable	First independent home	Within 3 years	2 bedroom house Shared Ownership Rent to Buy	2 bedroom house Shared Ownership
6	Lived in the village for 2-5 years	Widmerpool	Private Lettings Agency	Couple 2 bedroom flat	Private Rent	Couple setting up home together	Within 12 months	4 bedroom house Open market purchase	2 or 3 bedroom house Shared Ownership
7	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Wysall & Thorpe in the Glebe	Did not specify	Family member living at home 4 bedroom house	Not applicable	Currently work here/starting a job in the area To be close to family, give/receive support Present home too expensive/small	Within 12 months	2 bedroom house/bungalow Renting from Housing Association Renting from Council	1 or 2 bedroom home Affordable Rent
8	Lived in the village for 2 – 5 years	Widmerpool	No	Family with children 3 bedroom bungalow	Private rent	Present home too small Couple setting up home together First independent home	Within 3 years	4 bedroom house Open market purchase	3 bedroom house Shared Ownership
9	Lived in the village for less than 2 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	Did not specify	Family with children 4 bedroom house	Private rent	Need to remain in the area to enable children to stay at the local school	Within 5 years	3 - 4 bedroom house Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
10	Lived in the village for 5 – 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Couple 3 bedroom house	Owned outright	Present home too large (downsizing)	Within 5 years	3 bedroom house/bungalow Open market purchase	2 or 3 bedroom bungalow Open market purchase
11	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	No	Couple 4 bedroom house	Owned outright	Present home too large (downsizing)	Within 5 years	2 bedroom house/bungalow Open market purchase	2 or 3 bedroom bungalow Open market purchase
12	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Family with children 4 bedroom house	Own home with a mortgage	To be closer to facilities	Within 3 years	3 bedroom house Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
13	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	No	Family member living at home 6+ bedroom house	Not applicable	Require independent home To be close to family, give/receive support	Within 3 years	1 bedroom house Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
14	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	No	Family member living at home 4 bedroom house	Not applicable	Couple setting up home together	Now	3 bedroom house/bungalow Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
15	Lived in the village for 5 – 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Family member moved away but wishes to return	Not applicable	Couple setting up home together Moved away but wish to return Renting but would prefer to buy	Within 12 months	3 Bedroom House Open market purchase Shared Ownership	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
16	Lived in the village for 5 – 10 years	Willoughby on the Wolds	No	Family with children 4 bedroom house	Owned home with a mortgage	Present home too small Need to remain in the area to enable children to stay at the local school	Within 3 years	5+ bedroom house Open market purchase	Suitably housed Current market values unaffordable
17	Did not specify	Did not specify	No	4 bedroom house	Did not specify	Present home too large (downsizing)	Within 5 years	3 bedroom bungalow Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
18	Lived in the village for 5 – 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Couple 3 bedroom flat	Owned home with a mortgage	Cannot manage stairs	Within 5 years	2 bedroom bungalow Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
19	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Widmerpool	No	Family member moved away but wishes to return	Owned home with a mortgage	Moved away but wish to return To be closer to parent/family member	Within 12 months	3 bedroom bungalow Shared ownership	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present
20	Lived in the village for over 10 years	Wysall & Thorpe in the Glebe	No	Family member moved away but wishes to return	Owned home with a mortgage	Moved away but wish to return	Within 5 years	2 house / bedroom bungalow Open market purchase	Insufficient details provided Unable to assess at present

Table 13: Housing needs survey analysis for residents in Widmerpool, Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe and Willoughby on the Wolds

Appendix 2 – Analysis of Survey Part 1

Question 1 asked residents which specific village they live in, 153 residents responded and majority of them live in Willoughby on the Wolds. The results are shown below:

Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe: 38
Widmerpool: 42
Willoughby on the Wolds: 73

Respondents were asked to indicate the length of time they have been resident in their respective village, the responses are shown below. As shown, more than half of the respondents have lived in the area for more than 10 years. This indicates that the area is seen as a good place to live and has a settled and sustainable community. Just 15 of 152 respondents have lived in the village for less than 2 years.

Less than 2 years: 15
2 to 5 years: 12
5 to 10 years: 21
Over 10 years: 104

Question 3 looked at the composition of households. 153 respondents answered the question, and the results are shown below. Most households are made up of couples, followed by families with children households.

Question 4 asked participants to give details about other people who make up the household. As this information feeds into the housing needs analysis, which is presented at Table 12, it is not included in this section of the report.

One person household: 26
Two person household (unrelated): 3
Couple: 76
Family with children: 47
Rather not say: 1

Questions 5 and 6 asked about the tenure, size and type of home in which people live. The tenure of the homes in which people live are shown below.

Living with parents: 1
renting from a private landlord: 7
renting from a Housing Association: 1
Own your own home with a mortgage: 50
Own your own home outright: 92

151 respondents answered this question and findings show most people own their own home, either outright or with a mortgage. The number of respondents living in the rented sector is relatively low; just 7 households rent from a private landlord and only 1 household rents from a housing association.

Property Types

House
- 1 bedroom: 1
- 2 bedrooms: 2
- 3 bedrooms: 26
- 4 bedrooms: 63
- 5 bedrooms: 25
- 6 bedrooms: 5
Bungalow
- 2 bedrooms: 8
- 3 bedrooms: 9
- 4 bedrooms: 6
- 5 bedrooms: 1
Flat
- 1 bedroom: 1
- 2 bedrooms: 1
- 3 bedrooms: 1
Other
- 3 bedrooms: 1
- 4 bedrooms: 1

The information above illustrates the type and size of home in which respondents live. 150 participants provided this information, showing that most people live in 4-bedroom houses.

Question 7 asked whether respondents would support building a small number of homes to meet the needs of local people. 147 respondents answered this question, of which 85 said they would support building new homes and 62 did not give their support.

Question 8 asked residents to give an opinion about the type of housing they think the area is in need off. A breakdown of responses can be seen below. 150 respondents answered this question, of these, 59 respondents said the area does not need any new homes, whilst the remainder disagreed. This was a multiple-choice answer, so respondents could select more than one option. Most people thought 1–2- bedroom homes for young and single people were a priority. 19 people selected ‘other’, with comments such as “more bungalows are needed, no more big homes please, the village is full of them” and “Young people who have grown up here have to move away as no appropriate housing available”.

Type of housing needs in the village

No further homes needed - 59
1-2 bedroom homes for young and single people - 65
3-4 bedroom family homes - 32
4+ bedroom family homes - 9
Homes for elderly people - 34
Homes for people with disabilities - 8
Other - 19

Questions 9 and 10 asked residents to say whether they knew of anyone who had left the village during the last 5 years, and to give the number of people and their reason for moving away. 146 respondents answered, and 30 of these knew people who had moved away.

The most common reason for leaving was to go to university or college, the second most common reasons for employment elsewhere, no one was recorded as leaving due to lack of facilities.

Number of residents known to have moved away and why
Reason for leaving	1 Person	2 People	3+ People	Total
For employment elsewhere	10	4	2	16
Marriage or separation	3	0	0	3
Lack of affordable homes	0	1	1	2
To go to university or college	13	6	3	22
Lack of facilities	0	0	0	0
Total	26	11	6	43

Table 14: Number of residents known to have moved away and why

Questions 11, 12 and 13 of the survey asked for people’s views on what they think of the village as a place to live; what they like about it and what they think the issues are.

129 respondents said they think their village is a nice place to live. 104 respondents thought it has a friendly atmosphere and community spirit and 111 viewed their village as a sought-after location. There were 55 respondents who thought there was a balanced and varied population.

There were 10 respondents who thought the area suffers from crime. Only 5 of the respondents thought that anti-social behaviour was an issue and 94 respondents felt there were a lack of facilities.

The information below shows the factors that people thought were most important for the future of their village. Without the right infrastructure, villages cannot thrive, and eventually they become unsustainable. For any new development to be successful, the right amenities need to be in place. 146 participants answered this question, and they were invited to tick all options that applied. 95 respondents felt that Public Transport was the most important concern for the future of the village closely followed by Broadband and Mobile phone signal. Road network, employment opportunities ranked as the least important future issues for local people

Public transport - 95
Parking - 15
Road network - 2
Community buildings - 21
Balance of housing - 54
Primary school - 37
Broadband - 87
Mobile phone signal - 83
Employment opportunities - 16
Services for the elderly - 49
Services for the young - 27
Shop facilities - 64
Social facilities - 42
Other - 4

Works Cited

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, 2019. National Planning Policy Framework, London: MHCLG.

Office for National Statistics, 2022. UK Census Data for Widmerpool. [Online] Available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E04008015

Office for National Statistics, 2022. UK Census Data for Willoughby on the Wolds. [Online] Available at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E04008015

Office for National Statistics, 2022. UK Census Data for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe. [Online] Available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E04008017

Zoopla, 2022. Zoopla House Prices for Widmerpool. [Online] Available at:
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/browse/widmerpool/?q=widmerpool

Zoopla, 2022. Zoopla House Prices for Willoughby on the Wolds. [Online]
Available at: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/browse/willoughby-on-the-wolds/?q=Willoughby%20on%20the%20wolds

Zoopla, 2022. Zoopla House Prices for Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe. [Online]
Available at: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/browse/wysall/?q=wysall

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