Affordable Housing is one of the Council’s highest priorities and our success in delivering new affordable homes is recognised nationally, with 6,439 affordable homes having been built since 2009 and the second highest national allocation of New Homes Bonus being awarded to Cornwall in 2017. Ensuring that there are enough good quality homes at an affordable level to local people, to rent or buy, is something our highly experienced team are passionate about enabling. 

We deliver affordable homes in many ways:

• Supporting the Planning Service and working to secure affordable homes as part of mixed tenure developments;
• Managing the Council’s new-build affordable housing development programme (through the Housing Revenue Account);
• Operating a commercial ‘Joint Venture’ with a private sector partner  to facilitate housing growth on Council-owned land;
• Funding our Registered Provider partners to deliver additional affordable rented and shared ownership homes;
• Supporting Homes England with their affordable housing investment programme;
• Providing support, loan finance and grant funding to community groups – including CLTs – to provide community-led affordable housing;
• Enabling self-builders to meet their own affordable housing need;
• Undertaking estate regeneration of Council-owned housing stock, and supporting Registered Provider partners to do the same;
• Delivering specially commissioned gypsy and traveller accommodation/pitches in appropriate locations; and
• Developing proactive planning policy to support growth and enhanced delivery of affordable housing.

The need for new housing of all tenures remains very high and the Council has set very ambitious delivery targets to reflect this.  With high house prices and lower than average wages, thousands of households remain in need and the Council strongly supports the provision of new affordable homes, as well as initiatives to support our partners in helping to meet this need – throughout Cornwall.

Housing need consultations