Replies from the Jan 2023 survey showed concern in the village over the lack of affordable housing for younger people and families in the village as well as concern over the number of development of large houses built in back gardens that were unaffordable for locals.
The following Dec 2022 data shows those on the South Cambridgeshire District Council Housing Register, who are in need of affordable or social rent, that have a local connection to the village of Harston. (It should be noted that this data would not include those that are in need of an intermediate tenure (e.g. Shared Ownership) or those in need of a market housing.)
The highest need is for one-bedroom properties, followed by 2 and 3 beds.
Below shows the data for the housing figures related to age groups.
We asked AECOM (government technical advice) for a Housing Needs Assessment which was completed in April 2023.
Following on from the AECOM Housing Needs Assessment report the Parish Council & NP group have contacted (in May) South Cambs, who have asked CACRE (Cambridge Acre), to carry out a more detailed Housing Needs Survey in November 2023. This will try to find out what the need for future housing is for existing Harston residents. Once the results are back the PC and South Cambs will then be looking for a small rural exception site to provide affordable housing for Harston village people.
Harston PC put out a ‘call for sites’ in July 2023 to see if there are any potential sites for development of new housing that landowners could offer. The closing date for this was 14 August. An AECOM team visited Harston mid-October to assess some of the 16 sites put forward for development and graded them Green for ok in terms of meeting various existing policies, Amber having potential and Red unsuitable. This assessment, though, is not definitive, being only one source of evidence looked at. The final results are available by clicking on Harston Neighbourhood Plan Site Options and Assessment Final Report Feb 2024.
in Dec 2023 CACRE carried out a Housing Needs Survey for South Cambs to see what need there was for more housing in the village. This report was published in Feb 2024 and can be seen by clicking on HNS_Public_Report_Harston april 2024.