Recommendation for urban pilot project of 100 sites for self builders to construct new homes on
19 August 2014
An urban pilot project should allow people to construct self build homes on 100 sites around London – a report suggests.
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The paper, published by GLA Conservative London Assembly Member Steve O’Connell, sets out a large scale ‘disused site’ action plan – across all housing estates in every borough – which could deliver 10,000 homes in 10 years.
Recommendations in the report, ‘Gap In The Market‘, state that London boroughs, working with housing associations where necessary, should identify suitable sites for self build projects through their infill programmes wherever possible. It proposes that the Mayor, through the London Development Panel and in discussion with boroughs, should help identify pilot projects to enable self builders to build new homes on infill sites – small scattered plots of land – for at least 100 new homes.
The recommendations present ‘an exciting opportunity to help support self builders to improve London’s housing market,’ the document concludes.
4,552 redundant spaces and sites in blocks and estates – such as old laundries, garages and store sheds – have been identified across just 13 boroughs.
Mr O’Connell said: “We need an urgent, mass scale, coordinated effort to turn the thousands of these spaces into housing. A huge part of this is encouraging people to build their own homes.
“It’s possible to build a well-insulated, energy-efficient home for less than £50,000,” he added, highlighting the National Custom & Self Build Association’s ‘Self Build on a Shoestring’ ideas competition.
“What self builders need is the land to build on – I have identified over 4,000 disused sites and spaces across just 13 boroughs of London, and I’m urging the Mayor of London to initially pilot self building on 100 of these spaces.”
The full report can be accessed via the GLA Conservatives website.
