Affordable Housing in Cheshire
If you are hoping to rent or buy an affordable home in Cheshire, the first contact is usually the council or a housing association, not the developer. They decide who is eligible and who is offered each home. Developers such as Land to Homes deliver affordable homes, often secured through planning obligations, and hand them to a registered provider to manage or sell.
CheshireRegister your interest
Tell us where you want to live and what you need. Free, no obligation.
Registering interest is not a housing application. Social and affordable homes are allocated by councils and housing providers through their own lists.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free to registerNo fees, no deposit, no obligation
- Hear firstIf homes are released near you
- Affordable homesWith councils and housing associations
- Clear informationTenure, specification and warranty
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
New homes around Cheshire
We cover 12 places across Cheshire: Warrington is the main one, alongside Great Sankey, Macclesfield and Chester. Next door, we also cover Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Our Great Barr head office in Birmingham is about 55 miles from the middle of Cheshire.
When you register for Cheshire, you can choose accessible and adaptable homes, one- and two-bedroom apartments or homes for shared ownership. In England, where Cheshire sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
Register for Cheshire and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
What we offer in Cheshire
Providers involved early
We aim to agree affordable homes with a housing association or other registered provider early, so the homes meet their standards and local need.
Delivered through planning
Affordable homes are usually secured by a planning obligation, such as a Section 106 or Section 75 agreement, agreed with the council at planning stage.
Designed to fit in
We design affordable homes to sit alongside homes for sale and spread them through a scheme, so the tenures are hard to tell apart.
Eligibility set by others
Who can apply is set by the council, the housing provider and the scheme rules. We explain the process, but we do not decide eligibility or allocations.
Rules that apply in Cheshire
Affordable homes in Cheshire are usually funded through a mix of Section 106 contributions from market schemes and grant from Homes England's Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036, or from the Greater London Authority in London. Registered providers, regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing, own and manage most of them. Land to Homes can bring forward land and build homes for councils and housing associations, including homes for Social Rent.
In England, affordable housing is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework and is usually secured through Section 106 agreements. Homes are transferred to registered providers regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. Grant funding is usually channelled through Homes England, or the Greater London Authority in London. Tenures include social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership and discounted market sale.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Affordable Housing in Cheshire: questions
How is affordable housing delivered on new developments?
Usually through planning. The council's development plan sets out how much affordable housing a scheme should provide, and the commitment is secured in a planning obligation. The developer builds the homes and transfers them to a registered provider at a price that reflects their affordable status, sometimes supported by public grant. The provider then lets or sells them.
Can I register interest in an affordable home with Land to Homes?
Yes, but registering with us is not an application and does not affect eligibility. If a site we bring forward includes affordable homes, we will tell you which council or housing provider is responsible so you can apply through them. You should also register directly with your council and with housing associations in the area.
What is shared ownership?
Shared ownership lets you buy a share of a home, usually with a mortgage, and pay rent to the housing provider on the remaining share. You can normally buy further shares over time, which is known as staircasing. Schemes and rules differ by nation and by provider, so check the details and take independent legal and financial advice before committing.
Does affordable housing reduce what my land is worth?
It usually affects value, because affordable homes are transferred to a provider for less than open market homes would sell for. The council's affordable housing policy, and other planning obligations, are among the costs a buyer allows for when valuing land. Our free site appraisal explains how these factors apply to your site.
Can I register for new homes in Cheshire?
Yes. Registering for Cheshire is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Cheshire, we will contact you.
Read more: Affordable Housing · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK