In a significant policy shift, Wiltshire Council has announced it will now require developers to include social rental homes in all new planning applications, moving away from the previous focus on 'affordable' housing. This decision comes after the council concluded that homes designated as 'affordable' remain out of reach for a large portion of the local population.
The Affordability Gap: Why the Change Was Needed
The core of the issue lies in the definition of affordability. Under the old system, developers were required to ensure a percentage of new homes were offered below market price. Affordable homes were priced at 80% of the market rate, while social homes were set at a much lower 60%. These properties are made available through shared ownership schemes or for rent via the council or a housing association.
However, at a meeting of Wiltshire Council's Cabinet, Adrian Foster, the portfolio holder for housing, revealed a critical flaw. He stated that registered providers, such as housing associations, could not afford to purchase houses at the 'affordable' rate (80%) only to then rent them out to tenants at the social rate (60%). This financial disconnect was leaving those most in need without options.
"We have 5,500 people on our register and they can only afford social rents," Foster stated, emphatically announcing the new directive: "From this point on, any planning applications that come to Wiltshire will have to include social rental houses, not affordable rental houses."
The Local Housing Landscape: A Market Under Pressure
The urgency of this policy change is underscored by the local housing market data. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average house price in Wiltshire was £333,000 in August, marking a 3.2% annual increase. The rental market is equally strained, with the ONS reporting an average monthly rent of £1,032 in September 2025, a sharp 7.1% rise from the previous year. Wiltshire experienced the highest rental increases in the South West in 2024-5.
The immediate consequence of the affordability crisis is visible in the 17 houses built for affordable rent that have remained unsold because providers could not make the finances work. Meanwhile, the council's own register shows a pipeline of new homes expected by summer 2026 in towns including Calne, Chippenham, Devizes, and Salisbury. Most of these are a mix of shared ownership and affordable rent.
Notably, a development of 53 fully affordable homes is currently under construction in Melksham by developer Living Space. However, true social rent homes are scarce, with the only significant cluster being built in Ludgershall, which will see 13 two-bedroom houses, 10 three-bedroom houses, and four two-bedroom flats. The situation is so dire in some areas, such as Marlborough, which has no affordable housing in the pipeline, that the local council is considering declaring a Housing Emergency.
Looking Ahead: The Path to 1,000 New Homes
This new mandate for social housing represents a fundamental recalibration of the council's strategy. Earlier this year, in February, the council announced that over 500 new affordable homes were 'in the pipeline' and had set an ambitious goal to deliver 1,000 new affordable homes by 2030. The recent policy shift ensures that a greater proportion of these future homes will be accessible to those on the lowest incomes.
For potential tenants and owners, the process remains the same: they must be listed on the council's housing register and have a household income of less than £80,000 to qualify for these properties when they become available. This new directive from Wiltshire Council marks a decisive step in tackling the county's housing crisis head-on, prioritising genuine social need over a definition of affordability that has failed its community.
