DROITWICH is one of the most expensive places to rent a home in the West Midlands.
Statistics released by the National Housing Federation revealed the average monthly fee in Wychavon, in 2013, was £730 – just under Solihull’s £798 and Stratford-upon-Avon’s £812.
It was also announced the district had the fifth most expensive homes in the county and sixth most in the West Midlands, costing on average £234,320 – under Bromsgrove, Malvern Hills, Solihull, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The report showed the average wage of Wychavon residents, in 2013, hit just below the county’s average £24,211 at £23,832 a year – ranking the district as having the third highest earners in Worcestershire.
As well as this statistic also revealed Wychavon had the second highest percentage of people who owned a second home in the county at 0.8 per cent, just under Malvern Hills at 1.2 per cent.
Coun Judy Pearce, who is responsible for planning, said Wychavon provided more than its fair share of affordable homes – 233 between 2013 and 2014, but they did want to deliver more.
She added the government, house builders, housing associations, landlords and planners all had a vital role to play in helping to ensure house prices remained affordable for local people.
“Wychavon is a great place to live and to have a business and there is a lot of investment planned which will bring new businesses and new families to the area.” she said.
“To ensure families can afford to live here we have to build more affordable homes for them to live in that is why the South Worcestershire Development Plan is so critical when we consider a long-term solution to housing in the district.”
Coun Pearce added they had also recently approved the Social Lettings Agency scheme in Wychavon, which aims to house more applicants from the housing register into suitable privately rented accommodation.
“We will work with landlords and manage the properties in terms of regular inspections and contact with the tenant to ensure a sustainable tenancy.” she said.
