Council and Housing Partnerships in Derry/Londonderry
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in Derry/Londonderry 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.
Derry/Londonderry · BT48Talk 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
New homes around Derry/Londonderry
Derry/Londonderry (BT48) anchors our coverage of County Londonderry, which takes in 3 other places. Nearby, we also cover Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine, all within 27 miles.
People registering interest around Derry/Londonderry can tell us whether they want accessible and adaptable homes, homes for shared ownership or two- and three-bedroom family homes. As Derry/Londonderry is in Northern Ireland, applications are judged against the Strategic Planning Policy Statement, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Register for Derry/Londonderry and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
Our approach in Derry/Londonderry
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.
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.
Council land disposals
We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
Rules that apply in Derry/Londonderry
Social homes in Derry/Londonderry 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 |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Your questions answered for Derry/Londonderry
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 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.
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.
Are there new homes available in Derry/Londonderry now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Derry/Londonderry at the moment. You can register your interest for Derry/Londonderry, 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