Slough Council cannot take part in affordable housing scheme

Last week, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government announced a new funding package for nearly 90 partnerships, including housing associations, private providers, and local authorities, to bid for.

This cash injection will make owning a home more “realistic and affordable” and help families get on the property ladder.

The £8.6 billion, which is a portion of the £11b Homes England Fund, allocations will deliver properties including 57,000 homes for ownership, 29,600 for social rent, typically around 50 per cent to 60 per cent of market rates, and 6,250 affordable rural homes.

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The remaining homes will be available for “affordable” rent, officials said.

Robert Jenrick, housing minister

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “This huge funding package will make the ambition of owning a home a reality for families by making it realistic and affordable.

“We are also ensuring tens of thousands of new homes for rent are built in the years ahead, including social rent, so those on the lowest incomes can enjoy good quality, secure, rented homes, built and managed by reputable providers.”

With hundreds of affordable houses earmarked to be built at the Akzonobel site, among other developments, the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked SBC if they will take a slice of the £8.6b scheme.

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The council says the funds have been allocated to Homes England Strategic Partners and SBC is not one of these partners as they would not meet the criteria in terms of the number of units required to be delivered by 2028.

However, the council said it is applying for Homes England Grants for affordable housing schemes on a scheme by scheme basis.

Since the year 2016-17, the council has built 118 homes which are social housing.