Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the proposed planning changes, what steps his Department will take to protect the supply of affordable housing and ensure it is delivered where it is needed.

The Government is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing and has recently confirmed the details of £12.2 billion of investment. This includes a new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme which will be delivered over 5 years from next year (2021-2026), providing up to 180,000 new homes across the country, should economic conditions allow. This programme represents the highest single funding commitment to affordable housing in a decade.

Affordable housing is also delivered through developer contributions in the planning system. The Planning for the Future White Paper, published on 6 August, sets out proposals for reform of the planning system in England. This includes reform of developer contributions and proposes a new nationally-set ‘Infrastructure Levy’, which will be designed to deliver at least as much affordable housing as current arrangements. Under the proposed approach, housing associations and providers of affordable housing will continue to play an important role in delivering affordable housing secured through developer contributions.