Council and Housing Partnerships in Newtownabbey
Council and housing association partnerships in Newtownabbey 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.
Newtownabbey · BT36Talk to us about a partnership
Tell us about your organisation and the homes you need.
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- 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 Newtownabbey
Newtownabbey sits about 4 miles north of Belfast in County Antrim, in the BT36 postcode district. Belfast is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 4 miles, followed by Carrickfergus and Castlereagh.
Registrations for Newtownabbey cover accessible and adaptable homes, larger family homes and homes for affordable rent. In Northern Ireland, where Newtownabbey sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.
Registering for Newtownabbey is free and you can ask us to remove your details at any time.
What you get in Newtownabbey
Council land disposals
We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Newtownabbey
In Northern Ireland, housing associations find sites and develop schemes under the Social Housing Development Programme, while the Housing Executive assesses housing need in areas such as Newtownabbey. Councils' Local Development Plans can also require affordable homes on private developments, secured through a Section 76 planning agreement. Land to Homes can supply land, design and construction, or deliver completed homes for transfer to a registered housing association.
In Northern Ireland, housing associations regulated by the Department for Communities deliver most new social homes through the Social Housing Development Programme, managed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Developer-led schemes can include homes sold to associations, and Section 76 planning agreements can secure affordable housing where the local development plan requires it.
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
|---|---|
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding when contracts signed by both parties are exchanged and finishes on completion, with the title registered in the Land Registry at Land & Property Services. |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Common questions in Newtownabbey
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.
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.
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.
Are there new homes available in Newtownabbey now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Newtownabbey at the moment. You can register your interest for Newtownabbey, 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