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New homes and housing · West Midlands

Affordable Housing in Smethwick

How is new affordable housing delivered in Smethwick?

Land to Homes includes affordable housing in the schemes it plans in Smethwick, usually delivered through a planning obligation and transferred to a registered housing provider. The types vary by nation and local policy, from social rent to shared ownership and discounted sale. You can register interest with us, but eligibility and allocation are always decided by the council or provider.

Newly completed terrace of two-storey affordable homes with small front gardensSmethwick · B66

Register 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 Smethwick

We cover Smethwick as part of West Midlands. It is about 3 miles west of Birmingham, around postcode district B66. Close by, our coverage also takes in West Bromwich, Birmingham and Halesowen. Smethwick is in the West Midlands region of England. Our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham, is about 5 miles away.

Registrations for Smethwick cover homes for private rent, homes for first-time buyers and larger family homes. In England, where Smethwick 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 Smethwick and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.

What you get in Smethwick

Register interest

You can register interest with us, and we will point you to the council or provider responsible if affordable homes come forward on one of our sites.

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.

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.

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.

Planning in Smethwick: the English rules

In England, affordable housing on market developments in Smethwick 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.

Key rules in Smethwick
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Questions about Affordable Housing in Smethwick

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.

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.

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.

Who decides if I am eligible for an affordable home?

The council, the housing association or other provider, and the rules of the particular scheme. Eligibility usually depends on household income, housing need and sometimes a local connection to the area. Land to Homes does not decide eligibility or allocate homes. If you are interested, contact your local council's housing team and housing associations working in the area.

Are there new homes available in Smethwick now?

Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Smethwick at the moment. You can register your interest for Smethwick, and we will contact you if we bring homes forward there or nearby.

Read more: Affordable Housing · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

CallRegister interest