On a depressing note, see the following, a company based in Sevenoaks:

http://www.affordablehousing106.com/casestudies.html

“Affordable housing 106” is anything but helping the affordable housing situation in this country.

This case study page boasts about recent victories for clients, including:

– negotiating down from 50% to 25% the proportion of affordable housing for a project in South London: while the local Council wanted a 70/30 split between rent and shared ownership, the company facilitated 100% shared ownership tenure;

– facilitated commuted sum in lieu of affordable housing for a proposed care home development in the South East

– negotiated a Deed of Variation for an existing 106 Agreement in East London, whereby the owner/developer secured ownership/management of the affordable housing units.

Of course we have a similar company in Exeter:

http://www.section-106.co.uk/

To take but one local example from their case studies:

“Acting as both principals and in collaboration with Somerfield Food Stores in connection with a planning application to redevelop a 50 dwelling brown field site. Torridge District Council Planning officers sought a Section 106 agreement providing 20% affordable housing. Using a viability appraisal we were able to negotiate a reduction to 12%, saving circa £150,000.”

Presumably the families of employees of these companies have no need of sich housing themselves – lucky people.