Affordable Housing in Derry/Londonderry
If you are hoping to rent or buy an affordable home in Derry/Londonderry, the first contact is usually the council or a housing association, not the developer. They decide who is eligible and who is offered each home. Developers such as Land to Homes deliver affordable homes, often secured through planning obligations, and hand them to a registered provider to manage or sell.
Derry/Londonderry · BT48Register your interest
Tell us where you want to live and what you need. Free, no obligation.
Registering interest is not a housing application. Social and affordable homes are allocated by councils and housing providers through their own lists.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free to registerNo fees, no deposit, no obligation
- Hear firstIf homes are released near you
- Affordable homesWith councils and housing associations
- Clear informationTenure, specification and warranty
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Registering for homes in Derry/Londonderry
Derry/Londonderry (BT48) anchors our coverage of County Londonderry, which takes in 3 other places. Close by, our coverage also takes in Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine.
People registering interest around Derry/Londonderry can tell us whether they want accessible and adaptable homes, homes for shared ownership or one- and two-bedroom apartments. In Northern Ireland, where Derry/Londonderry sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.
Tell us what you need in Derry/Londonderry and we will be in touch if homes are released nearby.
What we offer in Derry/Londonderry
Every main tenure explained
Social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership, discounted market sale and their equivalents in each nation, explained in plain terms with who each one is for.
Nation-aware delivery
Affordable housing works differently in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we follow the rules and funding routes of each.
Register interest
You can register interest with us, and we will point you to the council or provider responsible if affordable homes come forward on one of our sites.
Eligibility set by others
Who can apply is set by the council, the housing provider and the scheme rules. We explain the process, but we do not decide eligibility or allocations.
Planning in Derry/Londonderry: the Northern Irish rules
Affordable housing delivery in Derry/Londonderry involves three main players: the Department for Communities, which funds the programme and regulates housing associations; the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which assesses need and manages the Social Housing Development Programme; and registered housing associations, which build and manage the homes. Co-Ownership provides shared ownership. Land to Homes can work alongside them by bringing forward land and building new homes.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is the strategic housing authority and manages the Social Housing Development Programme, while housing associations regulated by the Department for Communities build and manage most new social homes. Affordable housing can be secured through Section 76 agreements, and shared ownership is offered mainly through Co-Ownership.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
Affordable Housing in Derry/Londonderry: questions
Who decides if I am eligible for an affordable home?
The council, the housing association or other provider, and the rules of the particular scheme. Eligibility usually depends on household income, housing need and sometimes a local connection to the area. Land to Homes does not decide eligibility or allocate homes. If you are interested, contact your local council's housing team and housing associations working in the area.
What counts as affordable housing?
Affordable housing is housing for sale or rent for people whose needs are not met by the market, provided on terms set by planning policy. It typically includes social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership and discounted market sale. The exact definitions differ by nation: England's are in the National Planning Policy Framework, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own.
Does affordable housing reduce what my land is worth?
It usually affects value, because affordable homes are transferred to a provider for less than open market homes would sell for. The council's affordable housing policy, and other planning obligations, are among the costs a buyer allows for when valuing land. Our free site appraisal explains how these factors apply to your site.
How is affordable housing delivered on new developments?
Usually through planning. The council's development plan sets out how much affordable housing a scheme should provide, and the commitment is secured in a planning obligation. The developer builds the homes and transfers them to a registered provider at a price that reflects their affordable status, sometimes supported by public grant. The provider then lets or sells them.
Are there new homes available in Derry/Londonderry now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Derry/Londonderry at the moment. You can register your interest for Derry/Londonderry, and we will contact you if we bring homes forward there or nearby.
Read more: Affordable Housing · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know