Housing developer and provider guidance

Certain developments for new housing must include some affordable homes. Developers submitting planning applications need to explain how they intend to provide this.

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Housing developments and affordable housing requirements

You'll find policies on affordable housing in the following plans.

Applicants should submit an Affordable Housing Statement with any relevant application. It should set out how the proposal will meet affordable housing policy requirements. Our Planning Application Validation Checklist Note 10 provides some pointers on this to help.  

Our Affordable Housing Requirements Guidelines explain:
  • how to calculate affordable housing requirements;
  • the expected tenure mix;
  • alternative off-site affordable housing provision and financial contributions in lieu;
  • vacant building credit for reuse and demolition of existing vacant buildings.
You may find these calculators useful:
As part of the planning permission you will need to sign a legally binding agreement. This is known as a Section 106 planning obligation, explained below.

Exception sites for affordable housing

National planning policies support developing ‘windfall’ exception sites for affordable homes. These sites are not allocated for development in the development plan. They use land that would not usually be allowed for housing. They must be within, adjacent to, or well-related to an existing settlement. There must be clear evidence of a need for affordable housing in the local area.

The Northumberland Local Plan sets out our approach to Exception Sites at Policy HOU 7. Some Neighbourhood Plans also make policy provisions for Exception Sites.

Rural Exception Sites are the most well-known form of Exception Sites. Since the preparation of the Local Plan, the Government has replaced Entry-level Exception Sites with First Homes Exception Sites. It has also introduced Community-led Development Exception Sites.

Exception Sites for Affordable Housing Guidelines

Affordable housing via self-build and custom housebuilding

Self and custom-build can enable people to get a new home much cheaper than buying on the open market. It also enables the first occupants to tailor it to their personal needs and design tastes.

To count as an ‘affordable home’, a self or custom-build home must meet one of the affordable housing types.  These are explained in a definition of affordable housing and tenures on GOV.UK. It will also depend on how much the first occupier is involved. Either in designing or constructing their home.

Our guidance note sets out further information on delivering affordable homes by self-build and custom housebuilding.

Other sources of information for those who want to build their own home:

Section 106 agreements, financial contributions and charges

The required provision of affordable housing will be secured through a legal agreement. Any financial contribution agreed instead of on-site provision will be secured by the same means. This legally binding agreement is known as a Section 106 planning obligation (S106). The property’s title deeds will also register that a property is an affordable home.

We apply charges for the costs of processing and monitoring S106 agreements. There is a basic charge per trigger per obligation. If providing new Discounted Market Sales (DMV) housing, we also charge an initial fee per DMV home. The charges also apply to discounted First Homes.

View the charges or apply and pay for a Section 106 agreement

If providing discounted First Homes, check the dedicated First Homes scheme resource on GOV.UK. This guidance collection includes a model S106 agreement for developer contributions.

View further information on Section 106 agreements.

S106 affordable housing schemes and marketing affordable homes

Larger sites may involve a mix of market and affordable housing. The Section 106 agreement will require you to submit an Affordable Housing Scheme to us. Our Housing Enabling team will need to approve it before development can start. It should be updated if there are any later changes in the permission or S106 agreement.


We need further information if a development provides Discounted Market Sales (DMV) homes. Also for discounted First Homes. Before marketing these, please read the following information: The development’s sales team should be aware of relevant S106 restrictions. These will apply to any buyers of the DMV homes and First Homes.

Affordable housing S106 developer fund

We pool together financial contributions received instead of on-site affordable housing provision. We will spend the monies on enabling the provision of affordable homes elsewhere. Spending will be through our Affordable Housing S106 Developer Fund.

Applications can be made by not-for-profit organisations, such as:
  • Registered providers
  • Community land trusts
  • Other not-for-profit housing providers approved by us
  • Any other organisation providing permanent affordable units
This S106 funding can only be spent towards the actual delivery of affordable homes. These affordable homes must meet the latest National Planning Policy Framework definition of affordable housing. You cannot use the funding for initial feasibility studies, or for purchasing land.

Available funding

Check our Section 106 contributions table. This shows how much money is currently available in the affordable housing S106 pot. Some of this money can only be spent in certain parts of the county. See a record of affordable housing contributions we have received and allocated in our Infrastructure Funding Statement.

Applying for funding

We will decide on applications for these Section 106 monies in line with our guidelines. Read our Affordable Housing S106 Developer Fund guidance note.

Contact the Housing Enabling Team

Write to us at: Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2EF

Email us at: housing.proposals@northumberland.gov.uk

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