Documents and Publications

Credit Crunch Monitoring Report (545 KB) - Louise Williams

This monitoring report builds upon the headline findings within the August 2009 Monitoring report . This report includes an update on income multipliers and lender policies regarding new build; information on auctions and repossessions is now extended to include activity up to and including October 2009 and the latest house price data looks more closely at the Pathfinder and intervention areas within it, covering up to and including quarter 3 2009.

Designing Effective Responses to the Credit Crunch (2 MB) - Peter Williams and Richard Clark – Consult CIH

The report was commissioned to assist the effective design of responses to the credit crunch and the resultant decline in development activity in NewHeartlands. The authors engaged with lenders, developers and housing associations to provide an up to date assessment of the housing market and set out possible options for the future. The report recommended that NewHeartlands increase its influence on the local housing market; develop simple home ownership products that will enable reasonable risk households to buy in the NewHeartlands area; and to work with national networks to improve general practices in the low cost home ownership market.

Housing and Worklessness in NewHeartlands (4 MB) - Nevin Leather Associates

This paper looks at the relationship between worklessness and housing tenure in NewHeartlands, setting this in the wider context of Merseyside and the other Housing Market Renewal areas in England. The study confirms that Merseyside has serious problems of worklessness with the greatest concentration in the NewHeartlands area with problems also in the peripheral estates in Liverpool and Knowlsey; areas immediately outside the NewHeartlands area in Wirral and Sefton; and in the peripheral locations in the Liverpool City Region. The study finds that worklessness in the NewHeartlands area is more intense and severe than in other housing market renewal areas but conversely, the area has also experienced the largest relative improvement (2000 – 2009) in relation to the national average, albeit from a very high base. Worklessness in NewHeartlands is cross tenure and as such, the government’s objective to forge a closer link between housing policy and measures to reduce worklessness will be a more complex task here than in other housing market renewal areas in England

Credit Crunch Monitoring Report (290 KB) - Louise Williams

This monitoring report builds upon the headline findings within the February 2009 Monitoring report . Additional features in this report include a comparison on mortgage rates against the Bank of England base rate; information on income multipliers and lenders’ policies on new build properties; auction and repossessions data from April 2007; and details of promotional products being offered by developers.

Aspirations of Emerging Households in NewHeartlands (629 KB) - WM Enterprise

The housing aspirations of those groups in the population identified as emerging households were investigated and analysed via a series of focus groups and other consultation methods. It concluded that long term aspirations for owner occupation remained but were being frustrated by inability to access mortgage finance. This meant that there was demand for both social and private rented housing. There was a strong demand for houses instead of flats. Study found that there was demand for living in NewHeartlands but residential environment in certain locations remains sub-standard and that perceptions remain negative. The study confirmed the need for continued environmental improvement, place making and promotion of NewHeartlands as a place to live.

Aspirations of Emerging Households in NewHeartlands Appendix 1 (721 KB) - WM Enterprise

The housing aspirations of those groups in the population identified as emerging households were investigated and analysed via a series of focus groups and other consultation methods. It concluded that long term aspirations for owner occupation remained but were being frustrated by inability to access mortgage finance. This meant that there was demand for both social and private rented housing. There was a strong demand for houses instead of flats. Study found that there was demand for living in NewHeartlands but residential environment in certain locations remains sub-standard and that perceptions remain negative. The study confirmed the need for continued environmental improvement, place making and promotion of NewHeartlands as a place to live.

Aspirations of Emerging Households in NewHeartlands Appendix 2 (174 KB) - WM Enterprise

The housing aspirations of those groups in the population identified as emerging households were investigated and analysed via a series of focus groups and other consultation methods. It concluded that long term aspirations for owner occupation remained but were being frustrated by inability to access mortgage finance. This meant that there was demand for both social and private rented housing. There was a strong demand for houses instead of flats. Study found that there was demand for living in NewHeartlands but residential environment in certain locations remains sub-standard and that perceptions remain negative. The study confirmed the need for continued environmental improvement, place making and promotion of NewHeartlands as a place to live.

NewHeartlands Area Profile Report September 2008 (2 MB) - Louise Williams

This report uses a range of indicators to explore the economic and social attributes of Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral as well as the intervention areas within these local authorities. The report allows each of the areas to be compared and contrasted with one another and assessed against the wider local authority boundary. Through the use of maps graphs and text, an in depth picture of the pathfinder can be painted and any issues within one particular place highlighted.

Wirral Private Sector Landlords Survey: Impact of the Global Credit Crunch, Update. February 2009 (863 KB) - Louise Williams

This report is a follow up to the report published in September 2008 which examined the findings of the Wirral Private Sector Landlord Survey commissioned by Wirral Borough Council. A further 167 surveys were sent to private sector landlords in December 2008, 66 of which were completed and returned. The purpose of repeating the survey was to assess if there had been changes to the attitudes of the landlords regarding the credit crunch, and how the current economic climate is affecting them.

Credit crunch monitor report February 2009 (261 KB) - Louise Willams

This report looks at the state of the Pathfinder property market and draws information from national sources as an interesting comparison. The areas reported on comprise mortgage availability, auction activity, repossessions, sale prices, volume of sales and estate agents reports

Credit Crunch Survey Report Wirral private sector Landlords (917 KB)

The private rented sector in NewHeartlands (2 MB)

Occupational & housing forecasts report (419 KB)

Economic migration to HMR areas in NW England (2 MB)

Survey report of people living in higher order occupations (1 MB)