Council housing Sheffield: £12m boost to create 112 new affordable homes and flats to rent
A £12m boost to two council housebuilding schemes will fund 112 new affordable council houses and flats to rent.
The grant by Homes England Affordable Housing Programme will go towards a Sheffield City Council plan to provide up to 1,000 new affordable council homes by 2029.
The news comes on the back of a visit to Sheffield by Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook MP on March 6.
The two schemes being supported are:
- 41 homes and 36 flats at The Newstead general housing development, Birley
- 35 houses at Corker Bottoms, off Sheffield Parkway.
This funding will allow the council to keep the rent on the 112 new homes at ‘social rent levels,’ significantly lower than market rents.
The funding will also be used to build 12 shared ownership houses at Corker Bottoms.
The council outlined its intention to build more affordable homes in its Housing Strategy approved in October 2024.
It comes after council papers outlined that Sheffield is facing a high number of families leaving the city to live in neighbouring areas, combined with a shortage of housing, continued high demand of social homes and “significant” increases in homelessness.
Leader of Sheffield City Council, Councillor Tom Hunt, said: “Across the city we are working hard to increase the number of new homes in our city. Good quality homes are fundamental for enabling everyone to live happy, healthy lives.
“The government and Homes England have taken extremely significant, positive action to support councils to increase the building of council housing. Council homes transform lives and this grant will support our partnership working to increase affordable housing in city.”
The council housing plan in 2024 highlighted a number of ambitions:
- More homes and housing choice
- Reducing housing carbon emissions to net zero by 2030
- Safe, good quality and comfortable homes
- Great, safe neighbourhoods that people are happy to call home
- Homes and housing services that end homelessness and support healthy, independent lives.