Council and Housing Partnerships in Edinburgh & the Lothians
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in Edinburgh & the Lothians 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.
Edinburgh & the LothiansTalk 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 Edinburgh & the Lothians
We cover 4 places across Edinburgh & the Lothians: Edinburgh is the main one, alongside Musselburgh, Bathgate and Livingston. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Fife, Forth Valley and Lanarkshire.
When you register for Edinburgh & the Lothians, you can choose homes for affordable rent, accessible and adaptable homes or one- and two-bedroom apartments. As Edinburgh & the Lothians is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Register for Edinburgh & the Lothians and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
What we offer in Edinburgh & the Lothians
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.
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Edinburgh & the Lothians
For councils and housing associations planning homes in Edinburgh & the Lothians, Scottish delivery centres on the council's Strategic Housing Investment Plan, grant from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and, on private sites, affordable housing secured through Section 75 agreements under NPF4 and the Local Development Plan. Land to Homes can bring forward land with or without planning, or build homes for transfer to a registered social landlord.
In Scotland, councils and registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator deliver affordable homes through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, prioritised in each council's Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Developer contributions are secured through Section 75 agreements, and package deals for social and mid-market rent homes are one established route.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| Who decides applications | The council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area) |
| In-principle consent | Planning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) |
| Land registration | Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) |
| How a sale becomes binding | Land sales are concluded through missives, formal letters exchanged between solicitors that become a binding contract once concluded, followed by settlement on the date of entry and registration in the Land Register of Scotland. |
| Developer contributions | Section 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments |
Questions about Council and Housing Partnerships in Edinburgh & the Lothians
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.
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.
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.
Are there new homes available in Edinburgh & the Lothians now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Edinburgh & the Lothians at the moment. You can register your interest for Edinburgh & the Lothians, 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