Community-led and rural affordable housing

Community-led and rural affordable housing provides homes for those who would otherwise be unable to live within their community. This form of housing also contributes to creating balanced, vibrant communities and sustainable local economies.

We can provide support and advice to local communities, community housing groups, and parish and town councils that are interested in developing new affordable homes. We work with other organisations to access specialist advice and grant funding where applicable.

For more information, email the Housing Enabling team: housing.development@nfdc.gov.uk

Community-led housing

Community-led housing is about local people and communities playing a role in addressing housing needs in their areas. Community-led housing projects should ensure that:

• there is meaningful community engagement throughout, and the community is involved in decision making
• the community group or organisation owns, managed or has stewardship of the homes
• the benefits to the local area and/or specified community are clearly defined and legally protected in perpetuity.

Examples of community-led housing include:

• community land trusts
• co-housing groups
• co-operatives
• affordable groups and custom self-builders.

For more information on community led housing, download our guide below:

Community-led housing introduction guide (PDF, 92 KB)

Community-led housing fund

Our Community-Led Housing Fund provides revenue and grant funding to support the development of community-led affordable housing.

For more information, see our page on community-led housing fund.

Rural affordable housing

Rural exception sites are small plots of land that are not considered appropriate for open market housing, but could as an exception to policy be delivered to provide affordable homes to meet local need.

Affordable housing delivered on rural exception sites give priority to households with a local connection.

For more information on rural affordable housing, download our guide below:

Rural affordable housing introduction guide (PDF, 94 KB)

Further information

If you are interested in developing a community-led or rural exception affordable housing, email the Housing Enabling team at housing.development@nfdc.gov.uk.