Housing Needs Survey Results

Housing

• Average property prices of £317,500 in 2022, increasing by 5.9% from £299,950 in 2021.
• 13.8% of homes are 1 bedroom properties, 31.6%are 2 bedrooms, 37.3% are 3 bedrooms, 17.3%are 4 or more (which is lower than the average for England and Wales). 
• Occupancy ratings for bedrooms:
  • 34.6% have 2 or more spare bedrooms
  • 35.2% have 1 spare bedroom
  • 28.6% have the right amount of bedrooms for their households
  • 1.5% are lacking 1 bedroom
  • 0.2% are lacking 2 or more bedrooms

Renting in Totnes

• Average 2 bed rental prices of £850 per calendar month between 2020 and 2022 (median).
• The maximum Local Housing Allowance is £598.35 per month for a 2 bed property.
• In the TQ9 postcode area, there has been a 41.4%decrease in demand for rental properties, whilst there has been a 20.5% increase in available listings, in the period between Oct 22 and Oct 23.
• During the same period, there has been a 1.7% decrease in the asking price on Rental Properties in the TQ9 postcode area.

Affordable housing

• Current stock (approximate):
  • Live West - 429 rented accommodation. 30 shared ownership properties, 69 sheltered properties suited.
  • Sanctuary - 14 sheltered properties.
  • Sovereign - 32 rented accommodation, 16 shared ownership.
  • Westward - 61 rented accommodation, 38 shared ownership.
  • Willowtree - 72 rented accommodation
• Turnover of stock between Jan 2019 and Apr 2023 included 28 x 1 beds, 16 x 2 beds, and 1 3 bed properties.

Devon Home Choice

• 218 applicants registered with a local connection through residence 
• 70 applicants registered with a local connection through immediate family connection and 27 with local connection through employment.
• The average income of households registered with Devon Home Choice with a local connection to Totnes is £14,450 annually (median).

Totnes Primary School

• Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School provides for children aged 4 years until 11 years.
• The number of children enrolled at the school has increased in recent years. It remains notably below the school’s capacity of 208 pupils.
• The percentage of children eligible for Free School Meals has fluctuated but decreased overall within the same period. This is an indicator of income and affordability of essential provisions.

From the census

• 26.6% travel less than 10km to their work place. 36.9% work mainly from home.
• 51.7% of the parish population are economically active and in employment, 2.6% are unemployed. 45.7% are economically inactive compared to the average for Devon at 43.6%.
• 39.6% of households own their home outright, compared to the 42.2% average for Devon and the 45% average for the South Hams. 20.3% own with mortgage or shared ownership, 19.2% social rent their properties, 20.9% private rent or live rent free.
• 39.5% of households in the parish are single person households. 33.7% are two people households, which is09o9o9o9o9oabove the average for England (34%). 13.8% are three person households, and 13% are four or more person households.
• 89.1% provide no unpaid care. 2.9% provide 50 or more hours of unpaid care a week. 1.7% provide 20 to 49 hours a week, and 6.3% provide 19 hours or less a week.
• 47.9% of households are not deprived in any dimension, which is below the average for England, at 48.4%. 34.6% are deprived in one dimension, and 14.3% deprived in two dimensions.