Housing Needs Survey Results

Housing

• Average property prices of £332,500 in 2022, decreasing by 30.8% from £435,000 in 2021. It should be noted that property prices within the parish have fluctuated in recent years. 
• 7.9% of homes are 1 bedroom properties, 27% are 2 bedrooms, 33.9% are 3 bedrooms, 31.2% are 4 or more (which is higher than the 21.1% average for England). 
• Occupancy ratings for bedrooms: 
  • 46.1% have 2 or more spare bedrooms, 
  • 33.8% have 1spare bedroom, 
  • 18.7% have the correct number of bedrooms for their household needs, 
  • 1.2% are lacking 1 bedroom and 
  • 0.2% are lacking 2 or more bedrooms

Renting in Bickleigh

• Average 2 bed rental prices of £762.50 per calendar month between 2020 and 2022. 
• The maximum Local Housing Allowance is £583.40 per month for a 2 bed property. 
• In the PL6 postcode area, there has been a 42.9% decrease in demand for rental properties, whilst there has been a 20% decrease in available listings in the period between Jan 2023 and Jan 2024. 
• During the same period, there has been a 14.5% increase in the asking price on Rental Properties in the PL6 postcode area.

Affordable housing

• Current stock (approximate): Live West - 4 rented accommodation units. 
• Turnover of stock between Jan 2019 and Feb 2024 included 31 properties available to rent at affordable or social rent rates for those with a local connection to the parish of Bickleigh first. 

Devon Home Choice

• 4 applicants registered with a local connection through residence 
• There are no further applicants with a local connection to the parish through immediate family or through employment. 
• The applicants require a mix of 1 and 2 bed properties

Bickleigh Down Church of England Primary School

• Bickleigh Down Church of England Primary School provides for children aged 4 years until 11 years. 
• The number of children enrolled at the school has remained at a similar level, which is below the school’s capacity of 420 pupils. 
• The percentage of children eligible for Free School Meals has increased within the same period. This is an indicator of income and affordability of essential provisions.

From the census

• 47.5% travel less than 10km to their work place. 27.5% work mainly from home. 
• 65.1% of the parish population are economically active and in employment, 1.5% are unemployed. 33.4% are economically inactive compared to the average for Devon at 43.6%. 
• 36.1% of households owns their home outright, compared to the 42.2% average for Devon and the 45% average for the South Hams. 39.6% own with mortgage or shared ownership, 2.6% social rent their properties, 21.7% private rent or live rent free. 
• 26.8% of households in the parish are single person households. 40% are two people households, which is above the average for England (34%). 17.2% are three person households, and 16.1% are four or more person households. 
• 91.4% provide no unpaid care. 1.6% provide 50 or more hours of unpaid care a week. 2% provide 20 to 49 hours a week, and 5.1% provide 19 hours or less a week. 
• 61% of households are not deprived in any dimension, which is above the average for England, at 48.4%. 30.2% are deprived in one dimension, and 7.8% deprived in two dimensions