Council and Housing Partnerships in Southampton
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in Southampton 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.
Southampton · SO15Talk 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 Southampton
Southampton (SO15) is the hub of our Hampshire coverage, with 17 further towns covered. Close by, our coverage also takes in Hythe, Totton and Eastleigh. Southampton is part of England’s South East region.
When you register for Southampton, you can choose two- and three-bedroom family homes, accessible and adaptable homes or one- and two-bedroom apartments. In England, where Southampton sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
Tell us what you need in Southampton and we will be in touch if homes are released nearby.
How we work in Southampton
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.
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.
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.
Planning in Southampton: the English rules
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Southampton 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.
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Southampton
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.
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.
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 Southampton now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Southampton at the moment. You can register your interest for Southampton, 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