Think-tank says selling off land to first-time buyers for self-builds is answer to Britain's housing crisis

[Darren]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/grand-designs-becomes-reality-thinktank-says-selling-off-land-to-firsttime-buyers-for-selfbuilds-is-answer-to-britains-housing-crisis-8535204.html

Grand Designs becomes reality? Think-tank says selling off land to 
first-time buyers for self-builds is answer to Britain's housing crisis

Nigel Morris

Friday 15 March 2013

For most would-be property-owners, the idea of building your own home is 
confined to watching the extravagant creations of /Grand Designs/ take 
shape on television.

But the concept could be an answer to the nation's housing crisis by 
enabling first-time buyers to get on the housing ladder, according to a 
report published today.

Under the plans, councils that failed to achieve targets for building 
new houses would be required to release land to local residents that 
wanted to design and build their own homes.

The centre-Right think-tank Policy Exchange argued that the land would 
be relatively cheap as it would be sold at auction and be subject to 
fewer planning fees than a conventional new property. It said that homes 
which might be put on the market for £220,000 by a developer could be 
"self-built" for £130,000 -- with the added bonus that they would be 
specially designed for the family which moves in.

Last year work began on just 100,000 new properties -- far short of the 
demand for housing -- but Policy Exchange insists the policy could 
almost immediately double the number of homes built annually. As a 
bonus, widespread work would be created for the construction industry.

Just over ten per cent of new British houses are "self-built", compared 
with more than 50 per cent in most European countries and about 45 per 
cent in the United States. However, research suggests that some six 
million Britons are interested in designing their own homes.

The think-tank acknowledges the need to prevent bizarre-looking 
buildings blighting communities and suggests design guidelines for any 
new property should be agreed by residents. They could, for instance, 
stipulate that only local materials are used or that concrete is banned.

Parcels of available land would be allocated through a lottery to 
interested individuals or families who would then construct a property 
on the site -- or who could pass it on to a close relative, such as a 
child wanting their first home or a grandparent keen to downsize.

The only proviso would be that houses could not be built as holiday 
homes -- and residents would have to live there for at least five years 
to stop people using the developments to make a quick profit.

The report's author, Alex Morton, said: "/Grand Designs/ depicts 
self-build homes as playthings of eccentrics. They don't have to be. 
Under our proposals, local people would be able to choose a beautiful 
thatched cottage or Victorian house which would also boost the value of 
nearby properties."

He said: "This self-build scheme is the last real option to raise 
private housing numbers before 2015. It also would be popular with 
people and elected officials."

Ted Stevens, the chairman of the National Self Build Association, said: 
"There are literally millions of Brits keen to build their own home. But 
currently only a tiny fraction of those that are keen on the idea are 
able to realise their dreams. The main problem is obtaining a reasonably 
priced plot of land. If this solution took off it would transform the 
housing landscape of the UK."

*Grand Designs - Bespoke boltholes*

Channel 4's Grand Designs, presented by Kevin McCloud, inspired people 
to build their own homes. However, the new study says new-builds don't 
have to be eccentric or ground-breaking, just practical family homes.

/Woodsman's cottage/

Woodsman Ben Law's cottage in West Sussex was a labour of love while 
conforming to strict planning rules. In 2003 he used medieval techniques 
to create a "lovely, light-filled" home made almost exclusively wood 
from the surrounding forest.

/Beautiful bungalow/

Lucie Fairweather and her husband Nat McBride envisioned a "modest home" 
in Woodbridge, Suffolk, in 2010. The resulting three-bed sustainable 
chalet bungalow was described as a "wonderful new exploration of the form".

/Green and pleasant/

Architect Richard Hawkes designed a cutting-edge home in the Weald, 
Kent, in 2009. Packed with green technologies that would provide all the 
energy he required, the house's distinctive brick arch was praised as an 
"elegant and clever" design.


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