19 September 2013
A second official progress report to the Housing Minister, Mark Prisk MP, published today by the National Self Build Association (NaSBA), estimates that there are about 3,000 self build opportunities in the pipeline, and that an increasing number of local authorities and small (and large) builders are launching initiatives to support the demand there is from people who want to get a customised home built for themselves.
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The document highlights the work done by the Government and the Homes and Communities Agency in supporting the self and custom build sector – including the launch of the £30m Custom Build Investment Fund, and the eight pilot sites that the HCA has made available. The changes to the planning system introduced by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) are also having a positive impact with many local authorities now developing policies that support people who want to build their own homes.
All this activity has resulted in about a dozen specialist custom build development companies being formed, and a growing level of interest from a number of established larger housebuilders. As a result around 20 private sector-led self/custom build projects are now in the pipeline that will collectively deliver well over 1,000 new homes over the next few years.
New Neighbourhood Plans and self build initiatives developed via the Community Right to Build are also having an impact, bringing forward a growing number of community-led self build opportunities.
Among the many other achievements detailed in the report are:
- The proposed exemption from Community Infrastructure Levy charges for self builders
- The publication of three new Guides that explain the planning issues associated with custom build, the many ways public sector organisations can encourage self build, and the economic case for more small builders exploring self/custom build opportunities
- The provision of £17m of Government support funding which can be accessed by community led self build projects
- The launch of the first ever National Self Build Week
Welcoming the report, the self build industry champion and Grand Designs TV presenter Kevin McCloud said: “In all the years I have been reporting on people who want to build their own homes I’ve never seen so much interest, excitement and action as there is right now.
“The original Action Plan drawn up by NaSBA and the Government in 2011 has certainly stimulated the sector, and I believe it will lead to a significant shift in the way people procure their homes over the coming years.”
NaSBA Chair Ted Stevens said: “There now seems to be a real appetite to boost the level of self building in the UK and the current signs are very encouraging. Of course there is still more to do. And, although there appears to be many new opportunities on the horizon, a good number of the projects will not get on site until 2014 or later, so it will be some time before they show up in the statistics.”
Copies of the latest Progress Report, together with the original 2011 Action Plan and the first Progress Report, can be downloaded from the NaSBA website.
