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New homes and housing · Ayrshire

Council and Housing Partnerships in Ayr

How can councils and housing associations partner with us in Ayr?

Council and housing association partnerships in Ayr are the arrangements through which a developer delivers new affordable homes for public and social landlords. Land to Homes offers package deals, land-led schemes, affordable homes secured through planning and design and build contracts for registered providers, and can bid for council land disposals where the terms suit. Each route is agreed in writing before work starts.

Three professionals reviewing housing scheme plans around an office tableAyr · KA7

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Tell us about your organisation and the homes you need.

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  • Land to homesLand, planning and construction
  • Housing partnersCouncils and housing associations
  • No public offerNothing here is an offer to invest
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Homes we plan around Ayr

In Ayrshire, Ayr lies about 12 miles south-west of Kilmarnock; its central postcode district is KA7. Irvine is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 11 miles, followed by Kilmarnock and Newton Mearns.

Registrations for Ayr cover one- and two-bedroom apartments, homes for affordable rent and homes for shared ownership. As Ayr is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

Register for Ayr and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.

How we work in Ayr

Clear agreements

Every partnership is set out in a written agreement covering the programme, specification, payment stages and handover.

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.

Land-led schemes

We bring forward land for a scheme the provider will own, which can be fully affordable where planning policy and funding allow.

Council land disposals

We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.

The Scottish system, as it applies in Ayr

Affordable homes in Ayr are mainly funded through the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Supply Programme, with councils and registered social landlords building them. Councils set local investment priorities in their Strategic Housing Investment Plans. On private developments, Local Development Plans often require an affordable housing contribution, secured through a Section 75 agreement. Land to Homes can bring forward land and deliver homes for councils and housing associations.

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.

Key rules in Ayr
Local planning documentLocal Development Plan (LDP)
Who decides applicationsThe council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area)
Land registrationRegisters of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland)
Developer contributionsSection 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments

Council and Housing Partnerships in Ayr: questions

What are Section 106 affordable homes?

They are affordable homes a developer must provide under a Section 106 agreement attached to a planning permission in England or Wales. The agreement sets the number, tenure and often the transfer terms, and the homes are usually sold to a registered provider. Scotland uses Section 75 agreements and Northern Ireland uses Section 76 agreements for similar purposes.

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.

What is a land-led scheme?

A land-led scheme is one where land is secured and a scheme is planned around a provider's needs, rather than the provider buying a share of homes within a market-led development. It can allow a higher proportion of affordable homes, or a fully affordable scheme, where planning policy and funding support it.

What is a package deal for affordable housing?

A package deal is where a developer sells completed affordable homes on a site it controls to a housing association or other registered provider. The mix, design, specification and price are agreed before the homes are built, and the provider takes ownership on completion. Package deals are often how affordable homes required by a planning permission are delivered.

Are there new homes available in Ayr now?

Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Ayr at the moment. You can register your interest for Ayr, 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

Council and Housing Partnerships elsewhere in Ayrshire

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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