Council and Housing Partnerships in Newtownards
If you are a council or housing association looking for new homes in Newtownards, there are several ways to work with Land to Homes. We can sell you completed homes on a site we control, bring forward land for a scheme you will own, build on your land under a design and build contract, or deliver the affordable homes a planning agreement requires.
Newtownards · BT23Talk 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 Newtownards
In County Down, Newtownards lies about 5 miles south of Bangor (County Down); its central postcode district is BT23. Bangor (County Down) is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 5 miles, followed by Castlereagh and Belfast.
People registering interest around Newtownards can tell us whether they want two- and three-bedroom family homes, accessible and adaptable homes or homes for shared ownership. Planning in Newtownards follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Tell us what you need in Newtownards and we will be in touch if homes are released nearby.
How we work in Newtownards
Design and build
We design and build homes on land owned by a council or provider, to its specification and within its procurement rules.
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.
Funding conditions in mind
We plan schemes around the conditions of the relevant funding programme, although grant is applied for and held by the council or provider.
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.
How the rules work in Newtownards
Social homes in Newtownards are built mainly by registered housing associations through the Social Housing Development Programme. The Department for Communities funds the programme and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive manages it, assessing need and drawing up a rolling three-year plan. Housing associations are regulated by the Department for Communities. Land to Homes can bring forward land and build homes for housing association partners.
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.
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Common questions in Newtownards
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.
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.
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.
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 Newtownards?
Yes. Registering for Newtownards is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Newtownards, we will contact you.
Read more: Council and Housing Association Partnerships · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK