The Government has published guidance for the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which aims to accelerate the delivery of secure, affordable homes to ease national housing pressures.
Under the programme, up to £7 billion will be made available across six mayoral regions, with the Government expecting around 300,000 affordable homes to be built — at least 60 per cent for social rent.
Councils will be responsible for bringing many of these schemes forward, supported by new measures to remove barriers that have historically limited their ability to build at scale.
These include early-stage funding through the Council Housebuilding Support Fund, enhanced flexibility to combine Right to Buy receipts with government grant from next year, and access to Homes England’s new portfolio route to enable larger, more ambitious projects.
Cllr Tom Hunt, Chair of the LGA’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said: “Given the central role of councils in delivering these homes, it is vital that mayors work closely with local authorities to secure the greatest impact from this investment.”