right to build Right to Build launched to boost England’s self-build sector I
n a move intended to grow the self-build sector in England and close the gap with other countries, every local planning author-
ity will now have to ensure the delivery of suf- ficient serviced building plots to meet local demand for self and custom-build homes. The new legal duty within the Housing and Planning Act 2016 – dubbed Right to Build – has now come into force. Despite the Act already having required
councils to assess demand from their local community by introducing and promoting a custom and self-build demand register since 1 April 2016, the National Custom & Self Build Association said that 26 out of 326 local planning authorities have still not com- plied with this requirement. The Right to Build initiative is intended to
help more of the 53 per cent of adults who say they would like to self-build or commission an individually designed custom-build home at some stage in their life. Under
the National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF), each local authority now needs to adopt policies to meet demand for serviced plots appropriate for its own circum- stances. In the UK, just over 8 per cent of homes are self/custom-built, compared to
about 60 per cent in Germany, 50 per cent in Australia and 23 per cent in the USA. The legislation aims
to fulfil the
Government’s manifesto commitment to dou- ble the number of custom and self-build homes in England by 2020 and then hopefully see numbers rise to European levels in the future. It includes the conversion of existing buildings into homes and the creation of apartment blocks. Local authorities can apply to the Government for an exemption where demand for serviced plots is high but the supply of land for housing is constrained. Michael Holmes, chair of NaCSBA said:
“Under the new legislation, councils can give priority to local self and custom-builders with a connection to the area. Councils can also encourage communities and self-build groups to help bring forward exception sites to create low cost homes on land that would not other- wise be granted planning permission for hous- ing. With land constituting up to 80 per cent of the cost of a new home, this can make a huge difference to affordability. “Some local authorities will look to make
use of council owned land and other surplus public sector land, owned by the NHS, MoD and other bodies to create serviced plots.
Local authorities can also act as a facilitator, encouraging private sector developers to bring forward serviced plots, or to include a proportion of serviced plots for custom or self- build on all larger sites.” He concluded: “The Right to Build legisla-
tion is not going to resolve the shortage of building plots for custom and self-build homes overnight, but it is the beginning of a transition in the housing market which, over the coming years, will see custom and self-build become a mainstream housing option, as it is in so much of the developed world.”
Who will be crowned House of the Year? T
he 2016 RIBA House of the Year is soon to be announced with the overall winner announced on 15 December. A varied longlist of the nation’s best
houses was released in June, consisting of 20 buildings. A shortlist of six will be announced week-by-week, two at a time, as part of Channel 4’s Grand Designs: House of the Year before the winner is crowned. A jury of five knowledgable individuals
in the field will decide the shortlist and win- ner, the panel consisting of: • Meredith Bowles (Jury chair) of Mole Architects (RIBA House of the Year longlisted 2015)
• Charlotte Skene Catling of Skene Catling de la Peña (RIBA House of the Year Winner 2015)
• Jonathan Dallas of Dallas Pierce Quintero (RIBA House of the Year longlisted 2015)
• Ellie Stathaki, architecture editor at Wallpaper* Magazine
• Phil Thorn, head of direct home insurance at Hiscox
The award, which replaces the RIBA Manser
LONGLISTED PROJECT EDGE HILL NEAR NEWCASTLE (PHOTO: SUTHERLAND HUSSEY HARRIS ARCHITECTS)
Medal, is sponsored by Hiscox Home Insurance and Paint & Paper Library . Grand
Designs: House of the Year starts on 24 November.
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.co.uk
5
award
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