Council’s big boost to county’s affordable housing
14 Mar 2025
New figures show that 3,302 affordable homes to rent or buy are projected to complete in communities right across Northumberland.
Of these 2,337 properties are expected to be delivered by the end of March 2025 and a further 965 have planning permission.
The figures, covering the last eight years, show Northumberland County Council, working with a range of partners, has made major progress in helping to create more quality affordable homes for rent and affordable home ownership, in areas it is needed most.
Leader of Northumberland County Councillor, Glen Sanderson said:
“We are pleased to see these affordable housing figures which are three times higher than we initially targeted.
“We’re delivering pockets of affordable housing where it is needed most - from as far north as Berwick down to Blyth in the south and the rural communities in between.
“House prices, rents and the cost of living are continuing to rise, and it is really difficult for local people, especially the young, to get onto the property ladder or to find a home to rent.
“It is so important to our local communities and our economy that we keep young people and families in the county yet in some areas they are being priced out of the local housing market.
“At the same time, we are deeply conscious that Northumberland is a stunning county so we want to protect our green belt and not over develop towns and villages so that essential services such as schools, drs surgeries and dentists can’t cope.
“An enormous amount of work has been going on to provide more affordable housing in the county but throughout the process we have always been guided by our residents and communities. We believe we are achieving a good balance for them by providing the right type of housing, in the right place at the right price.”
The council has used a range of approaches including working to identify potential development sites, especially brownfield sites that have had buildings on them before. It has also worked with housing developers and housing associations to deliver affordable housing through S106 agreements and has facilitated community led schemes.
It also allocated £45 million up to 2027/28 to help create and maintain energy efficient affordable housing in the county.
Cllr Sanderson added:
“We have made real progress but it’s not something we have done alone – we’ve had the support, input and resources of a wide range of partners including housing associations and property developers.”
“It’s not just about building new houses; We’ve also put policies in place through the planning system to restrict the use of newly built homes as second and holiday homes. We’ve helped the owners of long-term empty properties to bring them back into use - returning over 500 empty properties back into residential use over recent years. Through our Community Led Housing Fund we’ve also empowered local communities to develop their own affordable housing schemes including ones in Corbridge and in Wooler.”
“Within Northumberland so many more people now have a place they can call home at a price they can afford. For them it has been lifechanging.”