Funding and Investment Partners in Dorset
Funding partners in Dorset are the lenders, institutional partners and landowners who provide the capital to buy land and build new homes. Land to Homes talks to development lenders and professional partners about specific sites and structures. Nothing on this site is an offer or invitation to invest, and we do not take deposits or money from the public.
DorsetStart a conversation
Tell us about your organisation or opportunity and we will call you back.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Private conversationsEvery arrangement documented
- Land to homesLand, planning and construction
- Housing partnersCouncils and housing associations
- No public offerNothing here is an offer to invest
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Working together in Dorset
We cover 4 places across Dorset: Bournemouth is the main one, alongside Poole, Christchurch and Weymouth. Next door, we also cover Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Wiltshire.
Partnerships we can discuss around Dorset include Section 106 affordable homes, council land brought forward for homes and mixed-tenure developments. In England, where Dorset sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
Tell us about the opportunity near Dorset and the right person will call you back.
Our approach in Dorset
Advice from your own advisers
We do not give legal, tax or financial advice. Every party should take independent advice before entering into any agreement with us.
Not an offer to invest
Nothing on this site is an offer or invitation to invest, and nothing here is regulated investment advice, a recommendation or a solicitation.
Development lenders
We discuss senior and mezzanine development finance with lenders on a site-by-site basis, with security and terms agreed through each party's solicitors.
Forward funding and purchase
For build to rent and affordable homes, we discuss forward funding and forward purchase structures with institutional and registered provider partners.
Planning and land rules in Dorset
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Dorset are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
In England, land purchases usually attract Stamp Duty Land Tax, and lenders take a legal charge registered at HM Land Registry. Scheme appraisals must allow for Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged, and biodiversity net gain. Homes England is the government's housing and regeneration agency and runs public funding programmes for housing.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Funding and Investment Partners in Dorset: questions
How can a landowner co-invest in a development?
Instead of selling outright, a landowner can put land into a joint venture with a developer, agreeing how costs, decisions and proceeds are shared. This can suit landowners who want a longer-term involvement. It carries more risk than a sale, so independent legal, tax and financial advice is essential before agreeing any terms.
What is forward funding?
Forward funding is where an investor, often an institution, buys a site and funds the construction of homes on it, taking ownership of the completed scheme. The developer builds the homes under a development agreement. It is used in build to rent and some affordable housing schemes. The legal and tax structure needs specialist advice for each party.
What types of funding do residential developments use?
Typically a mix of senior development debt, sometimes mezzanine debt, and equity from the developer and its partners. Build to rent and affordable homes may use forward funding or forward purchase by an institution or registered provider. Landowners can also contribute land through a joint venture. The right structure depends on the scheme, and each party takes independent advice.
Do public bodies fund housing development?
Public bodies support housing delivery in each nation, for example Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency in England, and the Development Bank of Wales, which offers property development lending. Grant for affordable housing usually goes to councils and registered providers rather than developers. We describe these bodies for context; each has its own criteria.
Can we discuss a partnership in Dorset?
We are happy to talk about specific opportunities across Dorset, including Bournemouth, Weymouth and Poole. Conversations are private and every arrangement is documented by each party’s own advisers. Nothing here is an invitation to invest.
Read more: Funding and Investment Partners · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK