Affordable Housing in Crawley
If you are hoping to rent or buy an affordable home in Crawley, 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.
Crawley · RH11Register 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 Crawley
Crawley is the main town we cover in West Sussex, centred on postcode district RH11. Close by, our coverage also takes in Horley, Horsham and East Grinstead. Crawley is in the South East region of England.
Registrations for Crawley cover homes for affordable rent, one- and two-bedroom apartments and homes for shared ownership. In England, where Crawley 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 Crawley and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
How we work in Crawley
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Crawley
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Crawley 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 |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Your questions answered for Crawley
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 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 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.
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 for new homes in Crawley?
Yes. Registering for Crawley is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Crawley, we will contact you.
Read more: Affordable Housing · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK