The Swindon Housing Needs Assessment was commissioned by the Council in conjunction with North Wilts District Council, so that both authorities could better understand the housing challenges they face. This important piece of research was undertaken by Fordham Research during 2005/6, where a random sample of nearly 3000 households in Swindon Borough Council were contacted.

This Housing Study provides an overview of the local housing market in Swindon Borough and looks at both housing need and demand across all tenures and property sizes. This study will underpin the development of our affordable housing policies in the Borough and will help inform planning strategies on the level and type of affordable housing provision in the future.

The main findings are as follows:

• 20.9% of households in Swindon would be unable to afford market housing (owner-occupation and private rent) if they were to move home now.
• There is a shortfall of 857 affordable housing units per annum in the Borough over the next 5 years.
• Whilst the assessment shows a clear need for all sizes of affordable accommodation there is principally a need for one, two and four bedroom dwellings, though this varies by area. However, when household's aspirations were also taken into account, the survey revealed a requirement for two and three bedroom dwellings.
• The Central and Eastcott areas of Swindon were found to have the highest shortfall of affordable housing.

Full Housing Needs Assessment study (2.4Mb PDF file)

Summary of Housing Needs Assessment study (432.2Kb PDF file)