Affordable Housing

We work with a number of housing associations to help meet the need for affordable homes in the borough.

Affordable housing is provided to people who can’t afford housing on the private market. Below is a list of the types of affordable housing that are available.

Homes available for rent

These include council or housing association properties. Applications for affordable homes for rent are made available through Kent Homechoice. Properties are available for social rent or affordable rent. Social rent is approximately 60% of the local market rent. Affordable rent is up to 80% of the local market rent inclusive of service charges.

Help to Buy

Help to Buy is a government initiative to help people get onto the property ladder. The scheme enables social housing tenants, MOD and other first time buyers to buy a share of a home. For more information see our Help to Buy webpage.

Low-cost home ownership

These properties are sold at 70% of open market value. The property developer continues to own the remaining 30%. There is no rent payable on the un-owned share. There are a small number of properties occasionally available through re-sale. For further details please contact Donna Michael on 01233 330496.

Further information about the Lodgewood low cost home ownership development in Ashford.

Further information about the Ellen Close shared ownership development in Charing.

Affordable rural local needs housing

Affordable rural local needs housing is housing provided on land where the only type of development allowed is affordable local needs housing. These homes enable local people to remain in the village where they live or work. This prevents them being forced to move away because of high house prices and high rents. 

We have produced guidance for individuals and organisations involved in providing affordable rural local needs housing in rural locations. This follows widespread consultation, explains how the scheme operates and helps develop good practice.

The Kent Housing Group and the Kent Rural Board have produced a protocol for delivering affordable local needs housing in rural Kent. The protocol provides guidance to all the partners involved in developing small local needs housing schemes.

View Kent Housing Group Rural Protocol.

For more information email the housing team.

Self-build and custom house building

The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 requires all local authorities, including Ashford Borough Council, to keep a register of individuals who are seeking to acquire serviced plots of land in the borough. These plots are then used to build their own homes on.

The council has set up a register to register the demand for sites from those interested in undertaking self-build and custom build housing projects.

If you would like to register your interest, or for more information, please visit our self-build and custom house building page.