Council and Housing Partnerships in County Down
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in County Down 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.
County DownTalk 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
Homes we plan around County Down
We cover 6 places across County Down: Bangor (County Down) is the main one, alongside Newry, Castlereagh and Banbridge. Next door, we also cover County Antrim, County Armagh and County Tyrone.
Registrations for County Down cover larger family homes, two- and three-bedroom family homes and homes for first-time buyers. In Northern Ireland, where County Down sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.
Registering for County Down is free and you can ask us to remove your details at any time.
Why work with Land to Homes in County Down
Design and build
We design and build homes on land owned by a council or provider, to its specification and within its procurement rules.
Clear agreements
Every partnership is set out in a written agreement covering the programme, specification, payment stages and handover.
Council land disposals
We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
Standards agreed up front
Provider design standards, space standards and energy targets are agreed at the start, so the homes are ready to transfer on completion.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in County Down
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 County Down. 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.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
| 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 | 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) |
Your questions answered for County Down
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.
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.
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.
Can I register for new homes in County Down?
Yes. Registering for County Down is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near County Down, we will contact you.
Read more: Council and Housing Association Partnerships · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK