Council and Housing Partnerships in Greater Manchester
If you are a council or housing association looking for new homes in Greater Manchester, 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.
Greater ManchesterTalk 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 Greater Manchester
Across Greater Manchester, we cover Manchester and 38 other towns, among them Prestwich, Droylsden and Eccles. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside. Greater Manchester is close to our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham.
Registrations for Greater Manchester cover homes for private rent, two- and three-bedroom family homes and homes for first-time buyers. Planning in Greater Manchester follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Tell us what you need in Greater Manchester and we will be in touch if homes are released nearby.
How we work in Greater Manchester
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.
Design and build
We design and build homes on land owned by a council or provider, to its specification and within its procurement rules.
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.
How the rules work in Greater Manchester
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Greater Manchester 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 |
Questions about Council and Housing Partnerships in Greater Manchester
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 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.
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.
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 Greater Manchester?
Yes. Registering for Greater Manchester is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Greater Manchester, we will contact you.
Read more: Council and Housing Association Partnerships · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK