Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to ensure that new houses designated as affordable cannot be altered or extended in ways which remove them from that classification.

The National Planning Policy framework expects local authorities to identify and plan for the market and affordable housing needs of their area. The level and type of affordable housing provided on an individual site will depend on the Local Plan policies and overall viability of the proposal.

The Housing Act 1996 and the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 require that new affordable homes delivered through the provision of Government Grant must remain affordable in perpetuity. Where a grant funded property is sold or undergoes a change of use, for example, from affordable housing to private rent or sale, the grant element used to build the property is then recycled for the delivery of further new affordable homes or returned to the Government. This ensures that the number of properties available through our Affordable Housing Programmes remains at a consistent level.