Annual Review: Affordable Housing Development Programme

A report published by Stratford-on-Avon District Council shows that over the last five years, it has delivered more affordable homes than any other local authority in the local area.

The District Council tops the list with a total number of 2,522 new affordable homes being delivered from 2018 to 2023 with Birmingham City Council coming in second with 2,483.

The report also shows that more social rent homes, the cheapest form of affordable homes, were built in Stratford-on-Avon District than elsewhere.

Each year, the District Council publishes its Annual Review, reviewing the number and type of new affordable homes built in the District.

Although the District Council only owns a handful of affordable homes, it plays a major role in delivering additional affordable housing across Stratford-on-Avon District to meet identified housing need with the Affordable Housing Development Programme.

The delivery of affordable homes is a long-standing corporate priority for Stratford-on-Avon District Council and one of the key priorities in the Council Plan 2023 - 2027 is to 'deliver affordable well-built and maintained homes.' Having a good stable home improves people's health, career and education prospects and consequently the delivery of affordable homes also features in the Council's Housing Strategy.

Cllr Liz Coles, Housing and Customer Services Portfolio Holder said: "The District Council is committed to delivering affordable well-built and maintained homes and we are working hard to address housing needs.

"This annual review shows that we are delivering on this priority.  It's not just about numbers, it's also about providing the most appropriate tenure, type and size of new homes in the right location, ensuring that everyone has access to quality housing, building stronger, more connected communities for the future."

During the course of last year, April 2023 to March 2024, the District Council enabled 354 new affordable homes.

Most homes developed last year were general needs accommodation.  The one exception was a developer-led scheme in Studley to provide 12 apartments for Older Persons Shared Ownership.

The most common sizes last year were two and three bedroom homes, which equally between them accounted for 83% of total supply.

Last year homes were provided in 10 different settlements and almost a quarter of new homes were in two new settlements of Gaydon Lighthorne Heath and Long Marston Airfield.

The supply of new-build affordable housing makes an important contribution towards meeting national planning policy requirements including a five-year supply of developable housing land.

In the thirteen years since April 2011 (the start date of the Council's Core Strategy and a key planning document), a total of 4,098 affordable homes have been provided, this equates to an annual average of 315 affordable dwellings since 2011.

19 Registered Providers have delivered affordable homes in the District over the past five years; the largest single provider is Orbit.

The report concludes that approximately 400 new affordable homes will be completed in the current financial year (2024-25) across 19 schemes.

For the next few years, supply is largely 'spoken for' on sites which are currently being built-out.  These comprise: Alcester, Gaydon Lighthorne Heath new town, Long Marston Airfield and Stratford-upon-Avon.

To view the full report, please visit: Annual Review