Local Housing Need

The last significant year of housing delivery in Sandy was 2014/15, where 102 market and affordable houses were completed, with roughly the same number again delivered in the intervening period since then. There is a current live planning application submitted by Central Bedfordshire Council for 35 dwellings at New Road, Sandy. This is proposed for 100% affordable housing. The UK government standard definition of affordable housing is any property provided at least 20% below market value and relevant for both rentals and properties for sale.

There are higher than average levels of owner-occupied housing and housing rented from a Housing Association. There are currently 203 applicants on the waiting list for social rented and affordable rented housing living in Sandy. There are also 1,649 applicants on the waiting list for social rented and affordable rented housing, who have listed Sandy as their preference of location. This provides a snapshot of demand in Sandy as a specific area.

The data indicates that there is a strong demand for affordable and social housing, as well as an overall need due to the small number of completions of new housing in recent years. There is an aging population, more so than the average for the area, yet there has been significantly less new housing to meet any demand for residents living in Sandy to stay living in Sandy, which may have led to residents looking outside of the area to meet their housing demand. Delivery of housing in Sandy has largely been from sites for fewer than 10 dwellings, so has not triggered the requirements for affordable housing.

Any development of the site would be subject to planning and the planning application would require its own public consultation in the normal way.