Affordable homes
As a council, one of our key priorities is delivering more affordable and social housing.
In 2025-26, the Affordable Homes Programme delivered 206 affordable homes across the borough, including 26 new council homes. This takes the total affordable homes delivered to 2,638 since the programme began in 2014.
The council also plays a key role in unlocking sites for private developers and builders, enabling affordable homes delivery through planning obligations. High priority is given to tackling empty and derelict properties, working closely with owners to bring them back into use as affordable homes.
Working with HUSK Northern Ltd, the council continues to deliver much needed affordable bungalows in the borough. The project converts under-used garage sites and turns them into homes for the over-55s. HUSK has recently completed four bungalows in Battle Hill, with a further five bungalows under construction in Annitsford, Burradon, and Longbenton. Modern methods of construction are used to deliver well-insulated and spacious homes, ensuring running costs are kept to a minimum for our tenants.
We have also delivered new council homes on long-term empty sites that the Council purchased and demolished using Brownfield Housing Funding from the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
We are not stopping here and in 2026-27 we will deliver a further 104 affordable homes, including 30 new council homes.