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UK ministers urge councils to make public land available for self build homes

Speaking at Grand Designs Live event in London during National Self Build Week, he said that some local authorities, such as Bristol Council, have already taken significant steps to identify suitable pieces of land for self builders in the city but others still have some way to go.

Boles said that the government is already making it easier for people to build their own home by exempting self builders from paying thousands of pounds on a levy charge that must be paid for all new buildings over a certain size.

He wants to take action because the UK has the lowest level of self build homes in Europe, where more than 80% of homes are self build in Austria and more than 50% are in Scandinavia, Germany and Belgium.

‘We urgently need to build more homes and now is the time for councils to act and earmark areas that encourage people to buy a plot of land and get a builder to build them a home,’ he explained.

‘We are determined to help family’s fulfil their dream of building their own home and are keen to work with the industry to showcase those councils leading the way in making specific sites available for self build, so aspiring homeowners can turn their plans into a reality,’ he added.

He is backed by housing minister Mark Prisk who recently announced that £44 million will be available to help self build projects get off the ground.

Among councils who have pledged to make public land available for self build is Bristol where a former school site has already been made available to the Bristol Community Land Trust.

In Cornwall local organisations such as the Cornwall Community Land Trust and Lands End Peninsula Community Land Trust are helping self build groups bring forward schemes in the county.

Cherwell Council has established a ‘Build!’ initiative which will provide 250 homes across the district through a combination of initiatives involving the renovation of empty homes, providing serviced plots and making it easier to self build.

Osmaston Community Association of Residents in Derby is a resident led association that is planning 200 new homes, some of which could be self builds, on a former Rolls Royce factory site in the city.

Newcastle City Council’s Fairer Housing Unit is exploring options for using an element of the Council’s £25 million Future Homes Fund to assist the delivery of self build and co-operative housing across the city. The Ouseburn Development Trust is also working with residents to deliver self build work/live units in the Ouseburn Valley and Persimmon Homes have recently announced plans to deliver 39 serviced self build plots at the Newcastle Great Park development.

Self build is being brought forward as part of the first phase of the new town of Northstowe, located just north east of Cambridge. The current proposals indicate plans for 150 self build units. The K1 Cohousing Project at Orchard Park, will also provide around 40 new self build homes for local families.

Teignbridge Council is taking action to support self build by requiring a proportion of self build plots to be provided in all large developments, supporting Neighbourhood Plans seeking to deliver multiple self build plots and working with affordable housing providers to provide affordable eco-friendly self build plots for local people in housing need.

Shropshire has adopted ‘Build Your Own Affordable Home’ policies, where people in need of housing are able to apply to build a house. The policy has created 10% of the affordable housing in the area.

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