Council and Housing Partnerships in Inverness
Council and housing association partnerships in Inverness 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.
Inverness · IV2Talk 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 Inverness
Inverness is the main town we cover in Highlands & Islands, centred on postcode district IV2. Nearby, we also cover Forres, Elgin and Buckie, all within 49 miles.
People registering interest around Inverness can tell us whether they want homes for affordable rent, larger family homes or homes for first-time buyers. Planning in Inverness follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Tell us what you need in Inverness and we will be in touch if homes are released nearby.
Our approach in Inverness
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.
Design and build
We design and build homes on land owned by a council or provider, to its specification and within its procurement rules.
Council land disposals
We respond to council land disposals and development opportunities where the terms suit, following the process the council sets.
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.
Rules that apply in Inverness
Affordable homes in Inverness are mainly funded through the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Supply Programme, with councils and registered social landlords building them. Councils set local investment priorities in their Strategic Housing Investment Plans. On private developments, Local Development Plans often require an affordable housing contribution, secured through a Section 75 agreement. Land to Homes can bring forward land and deliver homes for councils and housing associations.
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) |
| 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. |
Common questions in Inverness
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 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.
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 I register for new homes in Inverness?
Yes. Registering for Inverness is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Inverness, we will contact you.
Read more: Council and Housing Association Partnerships · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK