7 September 2012
Plymouth City Council is calling for would-be self builders to get in touch and help tackle the area’s housing shortage.
The council has directly appealed to people who have perhaps found themselves locked out of the housing market by high prices and tough borrowing conditions, and believes that self build projects could hold the key to solving the current crisis.
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Cllr Mark Lowry, Plymouth’s Cabinet member for finance, said: “There is no way in this city that we could meet genuine demand. We would have to build 30,000 houses to do that and it would take a decade. If we’re lucky we’ll build about 1,500 houses a year.
“On the Continent a large part of the housing market is delivered through self build. This council would like to hear from people interested in doing self-build.
Cllr Lowry said that the council is actively reviewing potential sites for self build and would encourage and support group self builders, as well as individuals. They could also include preferential rates on land, together with advice on financing, grants, planning applications and finding builders.
“We are really keen to support self build. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”
If you are interested in self build in Plymouth, contact: Paul Barnard, Assistant Director of Development (Planning Service): paul.barnard@plymouth.gov.uk
