Council and Housing Partnerships in Devon
Council and housing association partnerships in Devon 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.
DevonTalk 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 Devon
Across Devon, we cover Plymouth and 9 other towns, among them Plymstock, Newton Abbot and Exeter. Next door, we also cover Cornwall, Somerset and Bristol.
People registering interest around Devon can tell us whether they want homes for private rent, accessible and adaptable homes or two- and three-bedroom family homes. As Devon is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Registering for Devon is free and you can ask us to remove your details at any time.
How we work in Devon
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.
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Devon
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Devon is normally secured through a Section 106 agreement, which sets the number, tenure and transfer of homes to a registered provider. Grant from Homes England can add further homes, and the 2026 to 2036 programme expects at least 60% of funded homes to be Social Rent. Land to Homes can supply land, design and build homes, or deliver completed homes for councils and housing associations.
In England, registered providers, including housing associations and for-profit providers, are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. Affordable homes are usually secured through Section 106 agreements, and grant is channelled through Homes England, or the Greater London Authority in London. Councils follow procurement rules and their legal duties on value when disposing of land or appointing partners.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| 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 | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Common questions in Devon
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.
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 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.
Do you talk to for-profit registered providers?
Yes. In England, both not-for-profit housing associations and for-profit registered providers can own affordable homes, and both are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. We discuss affordable homes with any appropriately registered provider, subject to the council's requirements on who can take on the homes.
Are there new homes available in Devon now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Devon at the moment. You can register your interest for Devon, 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