Council and Housing Partnerships in Scottish Borders
Land to Homes is open to partnerships with councils, housing associations and other registered providers in Scottish Borders 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.
Scottish BordersTalk 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 Scottish Borders
Across Scottish Borders, we cover Galashiels and 3 other towns, among them Kelso, Hawick and Peebles. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Edinburgh & the Lothians, Fife and Forth Valley.
Registrations for Scottish Borders cover homes for first-time buyers, homes for affordable rent and homes for shared ownership. Planning in Scottish Borders follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Register for Scottish Borders and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
How we work in Scottish Borders
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.
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.
Clear agreements
Every partnership is set out in a written agreement covering the programme, specification, payment stages and handover.
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.
How the rules work in Scottish Borders
Scotland's Affordable Housing Supply Programme has a national target for new affordable homes, most of them for social rent. Councils and registered social landlords around Scottish Borders deliver most of these, mainly as new build, with registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator. Land to Homes can supply sites, design and construction to help partners deliver, whether on land we bring forward or land a partner already owns.
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 |
Common questions in Scottish Borders
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.
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 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.
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.
Are there new homes available in Scottish Borders now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Scottish Borders at the moment. You can register your interest for Scottish Borders, 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