Council and Housing Partnerships in Argyll & Bute
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in Argyll & Bute and across the UK, to add to the supply of affordable and social homes. We bring land, planning and construction; our partners bring local knowledge, housing management and, where available, public grant. The aim is a scheme that meets local need and the landlord's standards.
Argyll & ButeTalk to us about a partnership
Tell us about your organisation and the homes you need.
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
Registering for homes in Argyll & Bute
Our Argyll & Bute coverage takes in 4 towns and cities, centred on Helensburgh and including Oban, Campbeltown and Dunoon. Next door, we also cover Glasgow & the Clyde, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.
Registrations for Argyll & Bute cover two- and three-bedroom family homes, homes for affordable rent and homes for shared ownership. Planning in Argyll & Bute follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Registering for Argyll & Bute is free and you can ask us to remove your details at any time.
What you get in Argyll & Bute
Design and build
We design and build homes on land owned by a council or provider, to its specification and within its procurement rules.
Package deals
We sell completed affordable homes on a site we control to a registered provider, with the mix, design and price agreed before construction starts.
Clear agreements
Every partnership is set out in a written agreement covering the programme, specification, payment stages and handover.
Planning obligation homes
The affordable homes required by a Section 106, Section 75 or Section 76 agreement, designed with a provider and transferred on completion.
Rules that apply in Argyll & Bute
Scotland's Affordable Housing Supply Programme has a national target for new affordable homes, most of them for social rent. Councils and registered social landlords around Argyll & Bute deliver most of these, mainly as new build, with registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator. Land to Homes can supply sites, design and construction to help partners deliver, whether on land we bring forward or land a partner already owns.
In Scotland, councils and registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator deliver affordable homes through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, prioritised in each council's Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Developer contributions are secured through Section 75 agreements, and package deals for social and mid-market rent homes are one established route.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| Who decides applications | The council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area) |
| In-principle consent | Planning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) |
| Land registration | Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) |
| How a sale becomes binding | Land sales are concluded through missives, formal letters exchanged between solicitors that become a binding contract once concluded, followed by settlement on the date of entry and registration in the Land Register of Scotland. |
| Developer contributions | Section 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments |
Your questions answered for Argyll & Bute
Can you build on land a council or housing association already owns?
Yes. Under a design and build arrangement, we design and construct homes on land the council or provider owns, to its specification and standards. Contracts follow the client's procurement rules, which may mean a framework, a tender or another compliant route. We discuss the approach early so the scheme fits the client's governance.
Who applies for grant funding for affordable homes?
Usually the housing association or council, because public grant for affordable housing is normally paid to them under programmes run by Homes England, the Greater London Authority, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government or, in Northern Ireland, the Housing Executive's Social Housing Development Programme. We plan schemes with the relevant funding conditions in mind.
Can you help a community land trust or community-led group?
Potentially, yes. Community-led schemes often need land, planning and construction support, which is what we provide. The right structure depends on the group, the land and any funding available. We can discuss land options, a design and build arrangement or homes delivered within a wider scheme, with each party taking its own legal advice.
How do council land disposals work?
When a council sells or leases land for housing, it usually has legal duties around obtaining value and must follow its own disposal and procurement rules. Disposals may be marketed openly, offered through a development partner process or tendered. Land to Homes responds to opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
Are there new homes available in Argyll & Bute now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Argyll & Bute at the moment. You can register your interest for Argyll & Bute, and we will contact you if we bring homes forward there or nearby.
Read more: Council and Housing Association Partnerships · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK