Sustainability of housing development in Headcorn
Analytically Driven Ltd has been commissioned by Headcorn Parish Council to provide a place-based assessment of the sustainability of housing development in Headcorn. The approach developed by Analytically Driven uses the definition of sustainability from the National Planning Policy Framework as a starting point. Click here for a copy of the full report. The key results show that:

• The distances between Headcorn and the main population and employment centres in Kent are significant. England does not have a definition of remote, but Headcorn would qualify as remote under the definition used in Scotland. The fact that it has a station does not help here - those travelling to work by train fell as a share of the economically active population over the period 2001-2011. This means that in sustainability terms, Headcorn is not a good strategic location for housing development.
• Economic sustainability would imply that to meet local needs the maximum level of sustainable housing development in Headcorn over the period 2011-2031 would be 145 houses.
• Social sustainability considerations show that the net need for new homes in Headcorn is zero - the supply of homes from the existing housing stock will exceed demand from emerging households. The same is true for affordable (social rented) housing in Headcorn.
• Cost considerations, such as high bus fares, also play an important role - making Headcorn a less desirable location for those on low pay, for example. 
• Finally, economic, social and environmental considerations all imply that, in order to be sustainable, any housing development in Headcorn needs to be phased over the plan period, rather than undertaken upfront.