Devon council’s Local Plan requires self build ‘quota’ on large housing developments
27 May 2014
An important self/custom build planning precedent has been set with the approval of the Teignbridge Local Plan in South Devon. The Plan encourages more self/custom build by requiring developers of large housing schemes to provide five per cent of their new homes as plots for self builders.
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The idea of setting a five per cent self build quota was seen as being quite radical by some planning experts, but the Planning Inspector that examined the Local Plan has now approved the policy. Several other local councils are now expected to introduce similar policies.
Teignbridge Council is a keen supporter of efforts to make it easier for more people to build their own homes, but it has very little land of its own to directly facilitate the delivery building plots for them. In developing its self build quota policy the council went to considerable lengths to measure the local demand, and its research suggested around 3,000 people were keen on building a home for themselves in the area.
The council argued that the new policy would help deliver more self build plots, would support the local economy, increase the diversity of housing available in the area and encourage more sustainable building practices.
The new policy affects all housing developments of 20 or more homes. Prospective self builders will be required to build out their properties within three years, and if a housebuilder finds there is no demand for their quota of self build plots after a 12 month period, they can be built out for market sale or as affordable housing.
As part of its policies to support more self/custom build the council has also recommended that an agreed design code is used to control larger self/custom build projects of ten or more homes.
On 13 June the Council is organsing a special free event at Exeter Racecourse aimed at prospective self builders, which Planning Minister Nick Boles MP is expected to attend.
