17 January 2014
The Welsh Government is understood to be drafting a new Planning Bill – and it is hoped that recent promotion of the self build / custom build sector in Wales will see proposals included that encourage more homes to be built in this way.
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Lobbying by Cardiff architect Ed Green – winner of the National Self Build Association’s ‘Self Build on a Shoestring’ competition last October – is believed to have influenced the Principality’s strategic planning team.
Green gave formal evidence to the Welsh Government and also took part in an additional seminar highlighting the demand for land and how non-traditional forms of construction can offer a way of building homes that are kinder to the environment. This discussion was also attended by local authorities and housing associations.
“I would like to see a relaxation on the restrictions that are placed on developable land to provide more ways for people to build their own homes in the new Bill,” he said. “There is a real desire for people to do this, and there’s a real need for land to make it happen.”
It is rumoured that HAB Housing and Igloo Regeneration, two of the leading custom build developers, are looking to build homes in Wales in the future.
