THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE HOMES TO BE BUILT ACROSS SOUTH YORKSHIRE AS £700 MILLION FUNDING SECURED

Published 10 November 2025 at 1:40pm

Thousands of new affordable homes will be available in South Yorkshire after funding was confirmed to clear sites, revamp estates and build new homes, offering more people the chance to have a high quality home in the region. 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched its 10 year Social and Affordable Homes Programme which includes South Yorkshire’s plan to deliver 9000 new affordable homes in South Yorkshire over the next five years.

For the first time, South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard, working with Homes England, will shape the course of action for new affordable housing money in our region, setting out ambitious plans for the types of homes that get built and sites prioritised for construction and how many suitable bids for grant funding could come forward in each area. 

The programme means homes are built in South Yorkshire where they’re needed most, designed around local priorities, and shaped by people who know their communities best.  

The Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) will play a key role in the delivery of the 9,000 homes across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield over the next five years, with an indicative fund allocation from MHCLG of £700 million for South Yorkshire.

In addition, £12.3 million has also been confirmed for South Yorkshire in 2025/26 from the Government’s Brownfield Housing Fund. The Fund helps to overcome barriers to creating new housing developments on Brownfield sites.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “This money from Government is game-changing for us; giving us the opportunity to clear hundreds of derelict sites and build thousands of homes. 

“£700m will allow us to focus on helping to build social and affordable housing meaning we can offer everyone in our community a high-quality home in South Yorkshire, so they can stay near and go far.”

Through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, SYMCA will continue to work jointly with Homes England,  the four local authorities, and the South Yorkshire Housing Partnership via its Strategic Place Partnership, to identify projects that can be supported by funding from the Programme – with the aim of helping tackle the need across South Yorkshire for more affordable housing.

The Programme also aims to ensure 10% of the homes will be for supported or specialist housing to ensure vulnerable households, particularly those with complex needs, can live independently.

SYMCA will encourage partners to bring forward proposals that help to regenerate existing estates, as well as assist the development of local construction and green skills, including apprenticeships. 

SYMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund has received a total of £65.3m since 2020, including the announcement of £12.3m, and is already on track to enable over 3800 new homes across South Yorkshire. 
The funding has predominantly supported early infrastructure, site clearance, decontamination and installation of necessary utilities.