Affordable Housing in County Durham
If you are hoping to rent or buy an affordable home in County Durham, 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.
County DurhamRegister 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
Homes we plan around County Durham
Across County Durham, we cover Darlington and 11 other towns, among them Durham, Chester-le-Street and Billingham. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and North Yorkshire.
When you register for County Durham, you can choose homes for shared ownership, homes for private rent or accessible and adaptable homes. As County Durham is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Registering for County Durham is free and you can ask us to remove your details at any time.
How we work in County Durham
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.
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.
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.
Help for landowners
We explain how affordable housing requirements affect what a site is worth, so landowners understand an offer rather than just receiving one.
How the rules work in County Durham
In England, affordable housing on market developments in County Durham is normally secured through a Section 106 agreement, which sets the number, tenure and transfer of homes to a registered provider. Grant from Homes England can add further homes, and the 2026 to 2036 programme expects at least 60% of funded homes to be Social Rent. Land to Homes can supply land, design and build homes, or deliver completed homes for councils and housing associations.
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 County Durham: questions
What counts as affordable housing?
Affordable housing is housing for sale or rent for people whose needs are not met by the market, provided on terms set by planning policy. It typically includes social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership and discounted market sale. The exact definitions differ by nation: England's are in the National Planning Policy Framework, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own.
What is the difference between social rent and affordable rent?
Social rent is the lowest-cost rented housing, with rents in England set using a government formula and kept low by policy or regulation elsewhere. Affordable rent, used mainly in England, is set by reference to local market rents and is usually higher than social rent. Both are let by councils and registered providers to eligible households.
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.
What is discounted market sale?
Discounted market sale homes are sold below market value to eligible buyers, with the discount secured by a planning obligation so that it usually passes on to future buyers too. They are used mainly in England. Eligibility and the size of the discount are set by the council's policy and the planning agreement, not by the developer.
Are there new homes available in County Durham now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in County Durham at the moment. You can register your interest for County Durham, and we will contact you if we bring homes forward there or nearby.
Read more: Affordable Housing · Guide: Renting a new-build home: tenancy rules in England, Wales, Scotland and NI