Social Housing in Newtownards
If you need a social rent home in Newtownards, apply to the council's housing register or to housing associations working in the area, not to a developer. They assess need and decide who is offered each home. Land to Homes builds new social homes for those landlords to own and manage, which adds to the supply they can allocate.
Newtownards · BT23Register your interest
Tell us where you want to live and what you need. Free, no obligation.
Registering interest is not a housing application. Social and affordable homes are allocated by councils and housing providers through their own lists.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free to registerNo fees, no deposit, no obligation
- Hear firstIf homes are released near you
- Affordable homesWith councils and housing associations
- Clear informationTenure, specification and warranty
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
New homes around Newtownards
Newtownards (BT23) is one of the County Down towns we cover, about 5 miles south of Bangor (County Down). The nearest other places we cover are Bangor (County Down) (5 miles), Castlereagh (8 miles) and Belfast (9 miles).
Registrations for Newtownards cover accessible and adaptable homes, one- and two-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom family homes. In Northern Ireland, where Newtownards sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.
Register for Newtownards and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
Our approach in Newtownards
We do not allocate homes
Allocations are made by councils and housing providers through their own lists and policies. We cannot add anyone to a list or influence who is offered a home.
Clear signposting
If you need a home, we point you to your council's housing team or, in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Whole-site schemes
We can also discuss schemes built entirely for a council or housing association, on land we bring forward or land the landlord already owns.
Homes for the long term
Homes are designed for long-term letting, with durable materials, practical layouts and running costs for tenants kept in mind.
How the rules work in Newtownards
Social homes in Newtownards are built mainly by registered housing associations through the Social Housing Development Programme. The Department for Communities funds the programme and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive manages it, assessing need and drawing up a rolling three-year plan. Housing associations are regulated by the Department for Communities. Land to Homes can bring forward land and build homes for housing association partners.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive runs the Housing Selection Scheme and the common waiting list for its own homes and those of housing associations. Housing associations, regulated by the Department for Communities, build most new social homes through the Social Housing Development Programme, which the Housing Executive manages.
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding when contracts signed by both parties are exchanged and finishes on completion, with the title registered in the Land Registry at Land & Property Services. |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Social Housing in Newtownards: questions
What is the difference between social housing and affordable housing?
Social housing usually means low-cost rented homes let by councils and housing associations at social rents. Affordable housing is a wider term that also includes affordable rent, shared ownership, discounted sale and, in Scotland, mid-market rent. All social housing is affordable housing, but not all affordable housing is social housing.
Who owns and manages new social homes?
A council or a housing association, often called a registered provider in England and a registered social landlord in Wales and Scotland. The landlord sets the rent within the rules that apply, handles repairs and manages tenancies. A developer such as Land to Homes builds the homes and transfers them, but does not manage them as a social landlord.
Can I apply to Land to Homes for a social rent home?
No. Land to Homes does not allocate social housing or keep a housing list. Social homes are allocated by councils and housing associations through their own lists and policies. To apply, contact your council's housing team or local housing associations. In Northern Ireland, apply through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which manages the common waiting list.
How are social rents set?
In England, social rents are set using a government formula under the Rent Standard, which the Regulator of Social Housing oversees. Wales has its own rent policy for social landlords, and in Scotland social landlords set rents in consultation with their tenants. Northern Ireland has its own arrangements. Social rents are generally well below private market levels.
Can I register for new homes in Newtownards?
Yes. Registering for Newtownards is free and does not commit you to anything. There are no homes available yet; if we bring homes forward in or near Newtownards, we will contact you.
Read more: Social Housing · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK