Affordable housing
What is affordable housing?
Affordable housing helps people who are unable to afford to buy on the open market or to rent private housing. Affordable housing is sometimes called ‘social housing’.
This includes homes for rent (both Social Rent and Affordable Rent) and for Shared Ownership (part rent, part buy).
New affordable homes
New affordable homes can be delivered directly by a council resulting in new council owned homes or by housing associations (also called Registered Providers or RPs).
Where new rented homes are delivered by housing associations the properties will be advertised via Homesearch and available to housing register applicants.
Prospective purchasers interested in shared ownership properties should contact the provider directly. Find out more about the government’s eligibility checker and search tool for providers.
Working in partnership
The council has worked in partnership with a number of housing associations over the years to deliver affordable housing to meet housing needs. We continue to do so, although opportunities have declined in recent years.
A number of schemes are currently on site or have recently completed:
| Site | Registered Provider | Tenure | Scheme details | Expected completion | Link if available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centenary Quay, Phase 6, Woolston | Sage | Affordable Rent | 4 x 3 bed houses | Completed October 2024 | - |
| Centenary Quay, Phase 6, Woolston | Sage | Affordable Rent | 39 flats | Completed November 2024 | - |
| Land to the rear of 80 Shirley Road (Southern House) | Vivid | Social Rent | 14 units | Houses completed October 24, flats completed December 24 | - |
| Former Eastpoint site, Thornhill | Vivid | Social Rent | 21 x 3 bed houses, 78 x 2 bed flats, 29 x 1 bed flats |
April 2025 through to December 2025 | - |
In order to increase the amount of affordable housing being delivered in the city, the council has decided to dispose of some council owned sites to selected Registered Providers via the Affordable Housing Framework.
Information for developers in respect of s106 sites
Please view the council's Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document.
You can also contact the council’s Housing Development Officer to discuss plans and requirements:
- Name: Diana Hudson
- Email: diana.hudson@southampton.gov.uk
