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Funders and partners · County Durham

Build to Rent Partnerships in Stanley

How do build to rent partnerships work in Stanley?

Build to rent partnerships in Stanley are arrangements where homes are designed and built specifically for renting and owned long term by an institution or registered provider. Land to Homes brings land, planning and construction, and discusses forward funding, where the partner funds the build, or forward purchase, where the partner commits to buy the finished homes. This is not an offer to invest.

Bright new-build kitchen-diner with grey units and glazed doors to a gardenStanley · DH9

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Schemes around Stanley

We cover Stanley as part of County Durham. It is about 24 miles north of Darlington, around postcode district DH9. Close by, our coverage also takes in Chester-le-Street, Consett and Gateshead. Within England, Stanley falls in the North East region.

Partnerships we can discuss around Stanley include Section 106 affordable homes, design and build for a registered provider and mixed-tenure developments. Because Stanley is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Tell us about the opportunity near Stanley and the right person will call you back.

How we work in Stanley

Designed for renting

Layouts, storage, specifications and amenities are chosen for long-term letting and management, rather than adapted from homes designed for sale.

Affordable element planned in

Where policy requires affordable homes, we agree the right tenure with the council at planning stage, such as affordable private rent in England.

Forward funding

The partner acquires the site and funds construction in stages, with Land to Homes delivering the scheme under a development agreement.

Houses or apartments

Single-family rental houses on suburban sites or apartments in towns, depending on the site, the planning context and the partner's requirements.

The English system, as it applies in Stanley

In England, affordable housing on market developments in Stanley is normally secured through a Section 106 agreement, which sets the number, tenure and transfer of homes to a registered provider. Grant from Homes England can add further homes, and the 2026 to 2036 programme expects at least 60% of funded homes to be Social Rent. Land to Homes can supply land, design and build homes, or deliver completed homes for councils and housing associations.

In England, the National Planning Policy Framework recognises build to rent as a distinct housing type, with affordable private rent as the usual affordable tenure. New private lets are assured periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Appraisals must allow for Stamp Duty Land Tax, Section 106 obligations and, where charged, the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Key rules in Stanley
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)

Build to Rent Partnerships in Stanley: questions

What is the difference between forward funding and forward purchase?

With forward funding, the partner buys the site and pays for construction in stages as the scheme is built. With forward purchase, the partner agrees to buy the finished homes on completion, while the developer arranges construction finance in the meantime. The structures share risk differently, so each party takes its own legal and tax advice.

What is build to rent?

Build to rent is housing designed and built specifically for renting, held in single ownership and professionally managed. It can take the form of apartment blocks or single-family houses. Homes are let directly by the owner or its operator rather than sold, and schemes often include on-site management and shared facilities for residents.

Can registered providers take on build to rent homes?

Yes. Registered providers can acquire rental homes through forward purchase or package deals, including homes for social rent, affordable rent, mid-market rent or market rent, depending on the nation and their own objectives. We discuss schemes with providers and plan them around the provider's standards and funding conditions.

Do build to rent schemes have to include affordable housing?

Often, yes, depending on the nation and the council's policy. In England, national policy expects build to rent schemes to provide affordable housing, usually as affordable private rent. Elsewhere, requirements are set by the council's development plan. The detail is agreed at planning stage and recorded in a planning agreement.

Do you work with partners on schemes in Stanley?

Yes. We discuss schemes in Stanley and elsewhere in County Durham, including Billingham, Bishop Auckland and Chester-le-Street privately with professional partners. Nothing on this website is an offer or invitation to invest.

Read more: Build to Rent Partnerships · Guide: Renting a new-build home: tenancy rules in England, Wales, Scotland and NI

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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