The first phase of funding from the Government’s Social & Affordable Housing Programme has been announced, but with only a proportion allocated to be social rent, rather than 100% as the Prime Minister had pledged before he came into office.
The Ministry of Housing said that the almost £10bn of funding from the £39bn total would help “families stuck without a secure home,” and claimed it was the “biggest council housebuilding revival in decades,” with “more decisions over housing investment to move closer to local communities.”
The funding will go to 33 councils, housing associations and “other providers that have secured long term funding certainty to deliver homes at scale,” said the Ministry. This means that councils are now awarded Strategic Partner status with Homes England, “helping put them firmly back at the heart of housebuilding.”
Over £2bn is expected to be spent in Mayoral areas outside of London. “Over time, more funding is expected to flow directly to mayoral authorities as the programme develops, building on the Government’s commitment to move power and decision-making out of Whitehall,” said the Ministry of Housing.
It added that over the 10 year programme,
“more than £16bn remains to be allocated outside London, and that the Ministry “intend to prioritise Social Rent homes and council housebuilding.”
The package of announcements also
“helps councils to make full use of Right to Buy receipts and other available funding streams,” but supporting this, the Government is “investing a further £46m over the next three years to strengthen councils’ skills, expertise and capacity to bring forward ambitious housebuilding plans.”