Audit of need assessments

Audit of need assessments

This page provides links to a review of housing related need assessments across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Suffolk, as at November 2024. The final report was published in May 2025.

Summary

“A series of interviews were carried out in 2024 with housing and health partners, to identify the assessments completed by each, relating to housing and health. The aim of the audit was to identify gaps and overlaps. This report sets out the findings, including a long list of assessments with links to access each. The list includes assessments on many aspects of housing and health, however it does not identify large areas of overlap in the assessments, whether for topic, time span or geography. It also provides a short list of “gaps” relating to some fairly specialist housing and health topics. The report suggests these could usefully be explored further in partnership over time, seeking to quantify any need across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Suffolk and to build a shared plan between partners of how best to address those needs.”

List

The list below provides links direct to the various local housing-related needs assessments to be aware of.  Please bear in mind the list does not provide all the detail included in the report or the spreadsheet. Some assessments, while not directly focused on housing issues, have some important messages for housing partners to be aware of. The list will always be a ‘work in progress’ – meaning more assessments or updated assessments will be added in time:

Housing need: all homes and affordable homes needed

Housing need assessments identify the size and type of homes needing to be delivered, usually through the district Local Plan process.

Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk: Housing needs of specific groups, known throughout this audit as the G.L Hearn report, published Oct-21, covers 2020 to 2040. Includes overall assessment of need, specialist and supported need,  affordable housing need.

Peterborough: Reviewing local plan, aim to adopt new local plan 2026+ so has commissioned new studies: * housing and economic needs assessment (known throughout this audit as HENA) * viability study * retail study * public health. Local Plan will set targets for social housing & affordable housing targets. Has a 20-year projection period with reviews every 5 years, covering to 2044. The HENA (housing and economic needs assessment) covers standard methodology and was published April 2025. Covers 2023 to 2044. Includes overall assessment of need, specialist and supported need,  affordable housing need.

Greater Cambridge (that is, Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire) Objectively Assessed Need Further Evidence by Peter Brett Associates. Updates market and affordable housing need figures for Greater Cambridge. Published Nov-15. Covers 2020 to 2031.

Older people

Older people including * Specialist & supported housing including care homes & sheltered housing. * Care & support services for independent living at home

G.L Hearn forecasts for rented housing with support, leasehold housing with support, rented housing with care, leasehold housing with care, care home spaces. Projects changes to population with dementia and mobility problems for each local authority (population aged 65+).

Older people’s housing, care and support needs in Greater Cambridge 2017-2036 by Sheffield-Hallam University. Published Nov-17, covers 2017 to 2036

Older People’s accommodation demand profiles covers Residential, Nursing care, Supported, Independent living for Older People and Extra care housing, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Commissioned by Cambs County Council. Update planned for Cambridgeshire only based on 2021 Census data. New projections planned to be published 2025, update awaited. Published 2023, covers 2023 to 2038

Primary Prevention of Ill Health in Older People JSNA published 2014 by Public Health

Older Peoples Primary Prevention JSNA Final published 2017 by Public Health

People with disabilities

People with disabilities including * Specialist housing including accessible, adapted & wheelchair housing. * Care & support services for independent living at home

G.L Hearn includes data on people with disabilities and accessible housing needs, including the need for wheelchair user homes, both market and affordable

Peterborough HENA covers specialist housing need. The groups defined in planning policy guidance are covered. See Chapter 7: Requirements of specific groups.

Physical and learning disability through the life course JSNA published 2013 by Public Health

People with a mental health condition or a learning disability including * Specialist housing * Care & support services for independent living at home

Specialist supported accommodation for adults aged 16 to 64. Data has been shared with Peterborough but the report focuses on Cambridgeshire. Includes nursing, residential and supported living accommodation. MOSAIC data has been used but only a certain level of detail of analysis is possible. Not enough detail to work out size and type of accommodation needed, or cost of different models. Published Feb-24 covers 2022 to 2041

Health of adults with a learning disability JSNA (housing on page 98-99) published 2023 by Public Health

Mental health needs includes housing in chapter on environmental factors, published 2023 by Public Health

Older Peoples Mental Health JSNA (housing section on page 23) published 2014 by Public Health

Mental Health of Children and Young People JSNA includes mentions of the importance of housing, published 2013 by Public Health

Mental Health & Mental Illness of Adults of Working Age JSNA includes sections on homelessness (page 23) and on accommodation (page 83+) published 2015/16 by Public Health

Autism, personality disorder and dual diagnosis JSNA Includes section on social support, long term conditions, unemployment and housing (page 20) published 2014 by Public Health

Homelessness and rough sleeping

Homeless people including * Temporary & permanent specialist housing * Supported housing such as hostels and refuges * Both to include including single & multiple occupation

Cambridge Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review. Plan to update the review in 2025 and refresh the strategy for 2026. Published 2019, covers 2020 to 2025 in Cambridge City

East Cambs Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy published 2020 covers 2020 to 2025 in ECDC

Fenland Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy published 2024, covers 2024 to 2029 in FDC

Huntingdonshire Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy published Dec 2021, covers 2021 to 2026 in HDC

Peterborough Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy published 2021, covers 2021 to 2026 in PCC

South Cambs Homelessness Strategy published 2018, covers 2018 to 2023 in SCDC

West Suffolk Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy published 2018, covers 2018 to 2023 in West Suffolk

Mapping barriers to healthcare access for people experiencing homelessness in Cambridge by Cambridge Homelessness Impact and Research Network (CHIRN), published May-23 by Inclusion Health

Tackling Health Inequalities by Healthwatch Cambridgeshire published Feb-23

Domestic abuse

People fleeing/ at risk of domestic abuse including * specialist & supported housing * hostels & refuges

DASV Safe Accommodation Needs Assessment published 2021 by DASV partnership

Violence Against Women & Girls needs assessment published 2023 by DASV partnership

Students

Students including * specialist temporary housing * single & multiple occupation

G.L Hearn  Chapter 9 analyses student needs with an emphasis in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire as these areas predominantly house the needs raised from the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University (Cambridge Campus)

Cambridge Local Plan mentions the Assessment of Student Housing Demand and Supply for Cambridge City Council by Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research, published Jan-17, covers 2017 to 2026

Peterborough HENA includes student accommodation needs. See Chapter 7: Requirements of specific groups.

Migrant workers, asylum seekers & refugees

Migrant workers, asylum seekers & refugees including * specialist temporary housing * single & multiple occupation

Migrant and Refugee JSNA published 2016 by Public Health

Care leavers

Care leavers including * Specialist temporary housing * Care & support services for independent living at home: Possible future assessment

Ex-offenders

Ex-offenders including specialist temporary housing: Possible future assessment

Armed forces communities

Armed forces communities including specialist housing

Armed Forces JSNA final report 2013. Mentions Peterborough as part of the Armed Forces Covenant Board, data mostly relates to Cambridgeshire. Possible update 2025, published 2013 by Public Health

Peterborough HENA includes bases such as RAF Wittering. See Chapter 7: Requirements of specific groups, which includes Service Families.

Census 2021 topic summary: UK Armed Forces Veterans published 2022 for Cambs County & Peterborough City

Minority ethnic people including Gypsy/ Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

Minority ethnic people including Gypsy/ Travellers and Travelling Showpeople including * Specialist housing * Site provision such as pitches, communal facilities, yard storage, suitable access and serviced sites

GTANA 2016 by ORS. Excludes Fenland, includes Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, published Oct-16 covers 2016 to 2036.

Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils commissioned Arc4 to carry out a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment, to help both councils achieve an updated understanding the accommodation needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities across Greater Cambridge. Published Sept-24, covers 2023 to 2040

East Cambs GTANA planned for 2025 – webpage here. Dates to be confirmed

Fenland is currently finalizing a new GTANA – will project forwards for Local Plan. Will cover gypsy and traveller, other caravan dwellers, boat dwellers and travelling showpeople. Appointed Michael Hargreaves and One Voice for Travellers to do the assessment, including bricks & mortar dwellers as well as vans. Report due in 2025. Previous assessment published in 2013 here which was updated in Oct 2016 (see link). Published 2016, covers 2016 to 2031

Huntingdonshire GTANA: An updated Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment is currently underway (2024) and will form part of the Local Plan update evidence base. Due by June 2025.

Paterborough: As part of the new Local Plan commissioned a new Gypsy & Traveller need assessment. Includes boat dwellers. Completed by ORS. Published Apr-25, covers 2025 to 2044

West Suffolk 2023 GTANA includes pitch, transit and plot requirements. Pitch need is set out for 2023-24 to 2039-40. Published Nov-23, covers 2023 to 2039/40

Census 2021 topic summary: Ethnic Group, National Identity, Language and Religion published 2022 across Cambs County & Peterborough City

Private rented housing

Need for private rented sector housing: could include houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

G.L Hearn chapter 10: The first part of Chapter 10 explores the size of the private rented sector across the area; residents who claim benefits, demand for private rented housing, rent levels and finally a section on opportunities to develop ‘Build to Rent’ homes.

The Build to Rent Market in Greater Cambridge & West Suffolk. Savills explore the potential role that Build to Rent housing, including Affordable Private Rent could play locally, and how sites could be assessed for suitability. Published Jun-20 across Greater Cambridge & West Suffolk

Arc4’s suite of reports identifies potential locations for Build to Rent, and explores some of the other issues involved, including implications for place-shaping, both generally and on a site-specific basis. Separate links provided for each part. Published 2021

Self-build and custom house building

G.L Hearn includes baseline data, section 10 para 10.54 to 10.85, and projections of how many plots the needs on the register at the time, would require per year.

Joint list for City and South Cambs webpage shows number of new households registering an interest and numbers granted planning. Covers 2016 to 2024

ECDC register webpage. No data. Await update

Fenland register webpage. No data. Await update

HDC register webpage including data both on the register, and the number of homes completed in this programme. Covers 2016 to 2024

Peterborough: Self and customer build policy information is available at this link but does not include data. Date is included in the HENA Chapter 7. Requirements of specific groups.

West Suffolk register webpage and data. Covers Apr 2016 to Jul 2023.

Note on Annual Monitoring Returns: These reports / returns are submitted to government annually, and can include data on the self-build registers (expressed need) and the provision of sites over the year. Each district creates a section in its AMR on self and custom build.

Suggestion: These AMRs could be collated to highlight the combined need and the provision of sites across the wider area. Note: people may appear on more than one district’s register so potential for double-counting.

Isolated homes in the countryside including for essential rural workers

Rural housing surveys

Bespoke surveys can be carried out in a village or group of villages, to identify the homes most needed which may be developed on “exception sites”. Rural Housing Enablers (RHE) can undertake such surveys and share them with the Parish Councils involved. If there is sufficient need an “exception” can be made to the village envelope (boundary) such that homes can be delivered on sites outside of that boundary. RHEs are found at CambsACRE (covering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough) and Community Action Suffolk. Would like to explore sharing / publishing village surveys if that could be agreed.

Rural choice-based lettings data

Village housing needs may also be identified using data from the housing choice-based lettings system, where people register their need for affordable housing:

Housing needs assessments include rural areas and aspects of rural housing need:

G.L Hearn  report includes rural aspects in its analysis, but not as a separate issue.

Rural housing need forms part of the overall housing need in the Peterborough HENA.

Health / Social care sector worker housing 

Housing needs survey published by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICS, covering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Workers in West Suffolk were part of the survey area but not part of the ICS which commissioned the research. Published Nov-24 by C&P ICS

Delivering Affordable Housing for our Hospital Workers: The Case for Change by Savills’ Research team, published by Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH). Covers Cambridge & surrounding areas. Published Feb-20, by Savill’s

Cambridge Biomedical campus needs assessment by Nathaniel Lichfield consultants. Covers area wider than just Cambridge, focusing on sites of 250+ homes. Published Apr-24, covers 2024 to 2050, by Biomedical Campus

Key worker needs form part of the overall housing need in the Peterborough HENA.

Employment-related population and housing need forecasts

Greater Cambridge Partnership report produced with Justin Gardner (consultants). Published Dec 2022, updated Jan 2023

CPIER report – the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review published its final report in 2018, which was developed by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Commission (CPIEC). Sets out the housing barriers to doubling GVA over the next 25 years in Chapter 4. This includes * Unravelling the Housing Dilemma * Why Should More Houses be Built? * How Should More Houses be Built? * Where Should More Houses be Built? * Rising to the Housing Challenge. Published Sep-18 by CPCA

Census 2021 topic summary: Labour Market and Census 2021 topic summary: Travel to Work published 2022 by Cambs County & Peterborough City

Other specific characteristics / needs / health conditions

Drug & alcohol

Drug and alcohol JSNA includes housing and homelessness in Chapter 11. Published 2016 by Public Health

Drug & alcohol needs assessment headlines, with Qualitative data and Quantitative data (Housing & homelessness on slides 15 and 16). Published 2023 by Public Health

Carers

Carers JSNA housing included on pages 9 & 48. Published 2014 by Public Health

Vulnerable children & families

Vulnerable Children and Families JSNA finance and housing difficulties are included on page 33. Published 2015 by Public Health

Long term conditions

Long Term Conditions across the Life course JSNA briefly mentions of housing. Published 2015 by Public Health

Census 2021 topic summary: Health, Disability and Unpaid Care published 2022 covers Cambs County & Peterborough City

Other housing need & market indicators

Housing affordability assessment

Diamond affordability analysis – a visualization of the current housing market, no projections. Published 2018, updated 2023 by Housing Board

Savills detailed housing affordability analysis published Jul-17, covers Greater Cambridge

New housing development surveys

Northstowe: a survey of residents published Feb-23 by Housing Board

Summary of new development surveys dated 2006 to 2012, Cambridgeshire & West Suffolk. Published Dec-13 by Housing Board

Housing market

Strategic Housing Key Facts published continuously for Cambridge

Housing market bulletins published 2009 to ’25 and ongoing by Housing Board

Needs arising from CONDITION of private rented sector housing (could include HMOs)

Cambridge stock condition survey published 2009

Cambridge stock modelling report published 2015

Cambridge interactive atlas published 2016

Cambridge assessment of HMOs (LSOA data report). Unpublished but produced 2021

Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Suffolk interactive atlas published 2016 by Housing Board

East Cambridgeshire Housing Stock Modelling report published 2015

Fenland survey of stock condition last completed 2009.  FDC has data on licenced HMOs, runs mandatory but not additional licencing scheme. Working on EPC ratings to enforce.

Huntingdonshire latest stock condition survey published 2010

More general housing and health needs information

Quality of life

Quality of Life survey summary alongside full survey report (being updated in 2024), many mentions of housing throughout. Published 2023 by Public Health

Healthy Places / New housing / Housing & health JSNAs

New housing developments and the built environment JSNA published 2016 by Public Health

Healthy Places JSNA published  Oct 2024 by Public Health includes these chapters…

Executive Summary and Recommendations

1: Demography Outlines differences in demographic profiles between new and existing communities. New communities (developments built since 2011) have lower average ages, higher birth rates, more people per household, and greater ethnic diversity. These factors impact of the health and care needs of new communities. The chapter also presents data on housing affordability, population forecasting and expected changes in age structure.

2: Climate Change Summarises evidence on current and likely future impact of climate change on human health. Key sources of evidence are the UK Health Security Agency’s 2023 Health Effects of Climate Change report and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate Change. Major risks include excessive heat, flooding, and vector borne disease. Describes the role of the built environment in mitigation and adaptation and the importance of reducing healthcare-related carbon emissions through a prevention focus.

3: Built and Natural Environment Introduces the planning system, the NHS Healthy New Towns Programme, and standards for assessing healthy places. Outlines the evidence on how the built and natural environment impact human health. This evidence covers air quality, active travel & local food environments. It also highlights specific impacts on children and young people, older adults and people with disabilities.

4: Infrastructure and Services Describes the role of local built and digital infrastructure and explores the need for robust healthcare-related infrastructure delivery plans. New communities’ use of health services is described using local data.

5: Communities and Social Cohesion Explores community development and engagement. Highlights the roles of community development officers, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise, and community forums. The functions of community safety partnerships and local resilience forums are described, highlighting their role in supporting social cohesion.

Community Survey and Engagement Report. To understand residents’ views on the built environment, the JSNA undertook a community survey exploring what local people value in their local built environment, and if their current access aligns with these values. With over 700 responses, the most important areas of unmet need were around access to local healthcare and healthy affordable food. There was further engagement via Healthwatch’s Health and Care Forums and Partnership Boards, exploring survey responses and how the built environment impacts specific vulnerable groups.

Introduction to links between housing and health JSNA published 2013 by Public Health

Transport and health

Cambs Transport & Health JSNA (links to locations of homes) published  2015 by Public Health. Including sections on:

Peterborough Transport and Health JSNA Dataset published 2018 by Public Health

Possible future assessments / ideas

  • Needs data from Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs) including Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) needs and Handyperson scheme needs
  • Fire Safety in relation to Grenfell Tower inquiry
  • Damp, mouldy, cold homes
  • Hoarded homes
  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings in light of government’s stated aspiration in mid-2024 to achieve EPC ratings of C or above. Mapping has been undertaken in Peterborough by Public Health which may be possible to extend across Cambs and West Suffolk. Could usefully combine EPC data with national Fuel Poverty data mapping, published by Dept. for energy security and Net Zero (formerly DECC). Looking forward to release of Peterborough data and exploring with other districts.
  • Hospital discharge: Data on links between housing ad delays to hospital discharge
  • Ex-offenders including specialist temporary housing: Data on short- and long-term trends in prison release numbers and needs
  • Care leavers including specialist temporary housing and care & support services for independent living at home
  • Suggestion: Collation of self-and custom built register and provision across the wider area from AMRs, to make best use of existing annual information collection.