Council and Housing Partnerships in Edinburgh
Council and housing association partnerships in Edinburgh 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.
Edinburgh · EH1Talk 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
Our Edinburgh & the Lothians coverage is centred on Edinburgh, postcode district EH1, and reaches 3 other places. The nearest other places we cover are Musselburgh (6 miles), Kirkcaldy (11 miles) and Dunfermline (13 miles).
When you register for Edinburgh, you can choose homes for affordable rent, homes for private rent or homes for first-time buyers. As Edinburgh 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 and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
What we offer in Edinburgh
Council land disposals
We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
Clear agreements
Every partnership is set out in a written agreement covering the programme, specification, payment stages and handover.
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.
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.
The Scottish system, as it applies in Edinburgh
For councils and housing associations planning homes in Edinburgh, 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.
| 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 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. |
Your questions answered for Edinburgh
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 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 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.
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.
Are there new homes available in Edinburgh now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Edinburgh at the moment. You can register your interest for Edinburgh, 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