Buy-to-let
Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis today has announced plans to support aspiring custom and self builders who want to build their own homes.
The minister has published details of plans for a new Right to Build across England, so that anyone who wants to build their own home will be able to turn to their council for help in finding a suitable plot of land.
Eleven areas are already pioneering the Right to Build scheme, developing a register of prospective custom builders in the area and matching them up to shovel-ready sites. They are:
- Cherwell District Council
- South Cambridgeshire District Council
- Teignbridge District Council
- Shropshire Council
- Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
- West Lindsey District Council
- Exmoor and Dartmoor National Park Authorities
- Pendle Borough Council
- Sheffield City Council
- South Norfolk District Council
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Lewis says making custom build a more realistic option for more people was part of the government’s drive to support aspiring home owners, including a new generation of custom builders who see it as an alternative to buying an existing home.
The consultation seeks views from local planning authorities, the custom build sector and prospective custom builders about what they would like to see from the Right to Build. It looks at the local demand for custom build, meeting demand on the register with available land, and how the Right to Build will work within the existing planning framework.
Lewis says custom build “should not be the preserve of a select few” but should be a realistic opportunity for anyone who wants to build their own home.
The consultation on the Right to Build closes on 18 December.
