How are exception housing schemes provided?

An Exception Housing Scheme is an affordable housing scheme which has been specifically provided in the Countryside to meet local housing need (local is the parish in which the scheme is located and the adjoining civil parishes).

The homes on an Exception Housing Scheme are protected as affordable housing in perpetuity as the tenants cannot buy their property (for example through the Right to Acquire) and for any shared ownership properties the maximum share that can be purchased is restricted to 80% of the property’s total value.

Exception Housing Schemes are provided on land in the Countryside that would otherwise not be permitted for development. The homes on an Exception Housing Scheme are allocated using the Local Allocations Agreement, which ensures the homes are prioritised for households with a local connection to the parish in which the scheme is located and the adjoining civil parishes.