Maidstone Housing Strategy 2016-2020

Online Survey Consultation Feedback

 

1.    A profile of respondents replying to the questionnaire available online is shown in the table below. It should be noted that only 53 (50%) of the total respondents answered this question.

Options

Response Percent

A resident of the Borough

56.6%

 A service user

1.9%

A service provider

11.3%

A councillor of Maidstone

3.8%

A member of MBC staff

11.3%

Other

15.1%



2.    Respondents were asked: How far do you agree or disagree that the identified key priorities meets the challenges for Maidstone over the next 5 years? A summary of the responses are given in the table below.

Priority

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Priority 1: Enable and support the delivery of quality homes across the housing market to develop sustainable communities

44.7%

25.2%

30.1%

Priority 2: To ensure that existing housing in Maidstone Borough is safe, desirable and promotes good health and well-being

64.5%

24.0%

11.5%


 

Priority 3: Prevent homelessness; secure the provision of appropriate accommodation for homeless households and supporting vulnerable people.

65.2%

20.2%

14.6%



3.    Respondents were asked: From the following list of outcomes, please indicate the extent to which you think the council and its partners need to address each outcome as identified in the Action Plan? A summary of the responses are given in the table below.

 

Outcomes

Low Priority

Medium Priority

High Priority

Enable the delivery of homes as identified in the emerging Local Plan. An appropriate policy framework is in place that delivers a mix of tenure and range of housing to meet identified need.

22.4%

22.4%

55.2%

Deliver a mix of homes of different types, tenure and size, via direct provision and in partnership with private developers, housing associations and other key partners, which meet the needs of the local population.

18.8%

18.8%

62.3%

Deliver new affordable homes that are designed to a high standard, energy efficient, accessible and respond to people’s changing needs.

15.9%

17.4%

66.7%

Maximise housing investment opportunities by seeking innovative funding and delivery options to support housing delivery within Maidstone.

23.2%

29.0%

47.8%

To raise housing quality and standards across all tenures and improve the condition of existing homes to maximise health and wellbeing outcomes for all.

18.8%

26.1%

55.1%

To improve health outcomes for residents by reducing health inequality to ensure a healthy standard of living for all.

26.5%

29.4%

44.1%

Promote ways for residents to improve their health and wellbeing by tackling fuel poverty, energy efficiency advice and managing domestic bills.

26.5%

30.9%

42.6%

Prevent and relieve homelessness amongst local residents who are at risk of homelessness by offering timely, expert advice that helps to prevent their homelessness.

15.9%

17.4%

66.7%

Increase the availability of suitable accommodation for homeless households via direct provision and the use of the private rented sector, to reduce temporary accommodation costs, length of stay and reliance on bed and breakfast accommodation.

20.3%

21.7%

58.0%

Support independent living and reduce risk of repeat homelessness for vulnerable residents by offering a range of housing options, advice and support to maintain or improve their health and well-being.

23.2%

18.8%

58.0%






4.    Respondents were asked: Are there any important issues missing from the proposed Maidstone Housing Strategy 2016-2020 Action Plan?
A summary of the responses are given below.

Answer Options

Response Percent

Yes

52%

No

48%

 

5.    Where respondents answered yes, they were asked to tell us why. A summary of the general comments are given below.

General Comments

A failure to recognise the importance of adequate social and physical infrastructure.

Coordination with infrastructure and employment plans.

A more robust plan with firm details about where new housing will be built, also what infrastructure will be included and thought through prior to those developments taking place.

There could be a lot more focus on strategic partnerships with health, social care and council services to make firmer plans and support achieving some of the actions, particularly around health inequalities, fuel poverty, preventing homelessness etc.

The infrastructure needed to support the housing strategy appears to be lacking

Failure to aim to build so many houses, less would be better

Preservation of the quality of life for existing residents including adequate infrastructure investment

It assumes that finance will be from private sector. There is only one place for good social housing and that is with public authorities as in the 50's and 60's

There is absolutely no reference to council homes. 

The infrastructure is not in place to support all of these new houses and this is an extremely high priority.

Maidstone needs to develop as a high class town full of rich people with upmarket shops and restaurants.

How will all the additional traffic that will be generated by all this additional houses.

Associated infrastructure to support all the new housing (i.e. roads, transport, schools, hospitals, doctors' surgeries etc.

It's not just the housing that is a problem, you need the infrastructure in place for these new homes, schools and doctors are needed for new occupants, also the parking situation in roads out of town on housing estates is ridiculous, you cram in the houses putting pressure on the services already there and stretching them to breaking point and unable to deliver a quality service.


 

If you plan to build more houses first think about the infrastructure better roads, better schools, new surgeries, hospitals you can't build more houses without these.

Need to make the houses bigger so you can get better use of them.

You do not include that due to so many additional houses Maidstone which is constantly grid locked will get worse.

No joined up thinking with authorities which provide infrastructure such as roads, education and health care.

Constructive use of brown field land i.e. housing.

Transport infrastructure, Office accommodation to promote business within Maidstone.  Sufficient GP places close to Housing.

More explicit content on Local Needs Housing for parishes within the borough. Also more information on sheltered and semi-sheltered housing strategy for our ageing population.

Need affordable rented homes - not just homes to buy

A concerted effort in exploring the brown field sites in the Borough.  Prioritising planning proposals for the change of use of empty buildings in these areas.

The call for sites seems to ignore the need to regenerate urban and village cores by not obliging developers to put forward site in those locations rather to allow them to specify what they consider 'viable' i.e. most profitable for them. High quality homes and workspaces like those at Beddington Urban Development should be the default development with urban fringe and greenfield developments the last resort.