New Affordable Housing - Information for the public

Mid Sussex District Council work with housing associations, developers, landowners and Homes England to provide affordable housing. This page gives information on options available if you are looking for a home in Mid Sussex.

• Affordable Rent
• Shared Ownership
• First Homes 
• New Homes

Affordable rent homes are allocated through Choice Based Lettings to households on the Common Housing Register. Most new build sites will have a percentage of homes for rent which may be delivered in phases (depending on the size of the site).

To join the register, please visit our Apply for social housing page.

How does shared ownership work?

Shared Ownership gives first time buyers and those who do not currently own a home the opportunity to purchase a share in a new build or resale property. You can buy a home through the shared ownership scheme if you cannot afford all of the deposit and mortgage payments for a home that meets your needs.

You buy a share of the property and pay rent to a landlord on the rest.

How is the share price calculated?

The share price is based on the open market value of the property and although shares are often offered at between 25% and 50%, higher or lower shares may be available. 

The purchaser pays a mortgage on the share they are buying and pays a subsidised rent to a housing association on the remaining part which it owns. The larger the percentage of the home purchased, the smaller the amount of rent payable.

A mortgage is only required for the share being purchased, and consequently the amount of money required for a deposit is usually lower when compared with the amount that would be required when purchasing outright.

The purchaser has the option to increase their share during their time in the property via a process known as ''staircasing'', and in most cases they can staircase all the way up to 100%. Where this happens, the shared owner will no longer pay any rent, just their mortgage along with any relevant service charge and ground rent. The properties are delivered by Housing Associations .

Who can apply for shared ownership?

A purchaser must have a total annual household income of less than £80,000 and meet various affordability criteria to qualify for shared ownership. They must also have a local connection to the Mid Sussex District Council administrative area through either living in Mid Sussex, working in Mid Sussex or having a parent, adult child or brother or sister who lives in Mid Sussex.

In Mid Sussex we also allow purchasers to buy properties with one additional bedroom to their needs, e.g. singles & couples can purchase a 1 or 2 bed property and families a 2 or 3 bed property. If you are interested in a specific new build development, we would recommend that you speak with the Housing Association who will be delivering the shared ownership homes at the earliest possible opportunity. Details of upcoming properties and who to contact can be found in the New Homes Section below, which is updated quarterly.

For more information please visit the shared ownership website 

What is First Homes?

First Homes are a form of discounted market sale housing and are required to be delivered as part of the affordable housing provision on sites where planning permission was determined after 28th March 2022. They are required to form 25% of the total number of affordable housing units on a site. They are delivered by developers and secured through the S106 agreement & a legal restriction on the title. First Homes must be discounted by a minimum of 30% against the market value and after discount, the selling price is capped at £250K on first sale.

Who can apply for First Homes?

Purchasers must meet the First Homes Eligibility Criteria. You must be

• 18 or older
• a first-time buyer
• able to get a mortgage for at least half the price of the home
• buying the home as part of a household where total income is no more than £80,000 and they must also meet the Council’s Local Connection Criteria. You must be
  • ordinarily resident within the Mid Sussex District Council’s administrative area and have been for a continuous period of not less than 12 consecutive months prior to exchange of contracts for the relevant First Home; and/or
  • have a close family association with the Mid Sussex District Council’s administrative area by reason of a parent or child who is ordinarily resident within the Mid Sussex District Council’s administrative area.

Exemptions for Local Connection Criteria 

• members of the armed forces,
• divorced or separated spouse or civil partner of a member of the armed forces,
• widow or widower of a deceased member of the armed forces (if their death was caused wholly or partly by their service) and
• veteran who left the armed forces in the last 5 years as long as the other eligibility criteria are met.

All purchasers must be approved by the Council & the homes will remain as First Homes in perpetuity.​

New affordable homes are prioritised to households with a local connection to the town or parish where the development is located.

Both affordable rent and shared ownership homes are often advertised several months before the estimated 'available' dates given below.