Centre for Housing Policy
Project
funded by: |
ESRC | |
Research
period: |
2007/2008 | |
Researchers: |
Mark Bevan | |
Outputs: |
Report: Bevan, M. (2009) Park Home Living in England: Prospects and Policy Implications, York: Centre for Housing Policy DOWNLOAD (pdf) Presentation to National Park Homes Council Nov 08 DOWNLOAD (MSWord) |
Findings
A presentation to the National Park Homes Council annual conference in November 2008 highlighted some the findings from the research funded by the ESRC. A key feature of the park home sector is its increasing orientation towards providing an accommodation option for older people. The focus of the talk was on how the park home sector might respond to the challenges presented by an ageing society, including government policy on housing for older people in the future. The conclusions highlighted recent developments on one park, in particular, that highlights the kind of contribution that park homes could make. However, the sector also needs to tackle an element of ‘rogue’ site owners, who are causing considerable difficulties for residents on some parks. Download paper
Background
In pressured housing markets, non-traditional housing options take on a new significance for households. Opportunities exist for households to buy a home by operating outside the market for 'bricks and mortar' housing. non-permanent housing such as mobile homes and residential boats offer the potential for households on lower incomes to live in the most highly constrained housing markets. Morevoer, such housing options are not just an issue of affordability, but can be associated with positive lifestyle choices, often located iin environments connected with leisure and recreations. Whilst both these forms of non-permanent accommodation are niche markets, they have attracted recent policy attention, especially with regard to the role that such non-permanent accommodation could play as part of widening diversity and choice within housing markets.
The project aims to explore how people perceive their ability to develop and sustain their choce of lifestyle in either a mobile home or a residential boat. The research examines residents' views and experiences in the context of meanings that they attach to their home, including a consideration of the previous types of accommodation that people have lived in and the decisions behind the move to non-permanent accommodation.