NEWS
Industry survey shows just how important the self- and custom-build market is to small builders
For the first time, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) annual House Builders’ Survey has “evidenced the importance of the self- and custom-build sector as a source of work for its members,” according to the organisation. The 2019 findings from the survey indicate that over half of its housebuilder members have built a home to the plan and specification of a new home owner in the last year. The figure is important, says the National Custom & Self Build Association (NaCSBA), as it reflects the close links between the SME market and custom- and self-build.
The FMB conducts the survey to assess the housing market and the constraints faced by small and medium sized housebuilders. The sector has seen a dramatic decline – in 1988 two thirds of the UK’s homes were built by SME builders, while in 2014 it was just a third, and since 2007 the number of SME builders has halved. As part of its efforts to alleviate the housing crisis, the Government wants to see a return of SME housebuilders to the market. This, NaCSBA says, chimes with its ambitions for custom- and self-build to be a viable source of additional housing.
The survey findings included: • 52 per cent of housebuilder members surveyed have built a new home to the plan and specification of a new home owner in the last year
• Of these, 42 per cent have built one home, 32 per cent have built two, 10 per cent have built four to five and 12 per cent have build six to 10 • The vast majority (68 per cent) reported that one of these homes was on land they obtained for the development, 19 per cent reported two to three, 8 per cent reported four to five and three reported six to 10.
Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, NaCSBA CEO said: “Custom- and self-build has the potential to help the Government reach its target of creating 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s, and the SME sector is crucial in delivering this. We want to see more opportunities that create a level playing field that enables our sector to operate in the same conditions as the large housebuilders, such as a Help to Build equity loan that mirrors the support the Help to Buy loan has given to the mass market. This would also provide
low-cost development finance to SME builders.” FMB chief executive Brian Berry added:
“If the Government is going to increase both the quantity and quality of new homes a more diverse housebuilding industry is needed. What this new research shows is that custom- and self- build can help bolster SMEs because without local builders to help find land, service the plots and build the houses, delivery is much more difficult. The FMB is urging the Government to support the custom- and self-build sector, by encouraging prospective home owners to consider building their own home through policy solutions such as the Help to Build scheme idea.”
National Design Guide for homes launched
As part of its revised set of planning practice guidance (PPG), the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a new National Design Guide. The guide is broken down into three parts, listing 10 characteristics relating to a “well-designed place” and linking them to physical character, a sense of community, and addressing environmental issues affecting climate. This new national standard supports ideas set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The 10 characteristics are:
• Context – enhances the surroundings • Identity – attractive and distinctive • Built form – a coherent pattern of development • Movement – accessible and easy to move around • Nature – enhanced and optimised • Public space – safe, social and inclusive • Uses – mixed and integrated • Homes & buildings – functional, healthy and sustainable • Resources – efficient and resilient • Lifespan – made to last
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Currently local authorities can refuse planning permission if the proposed building will not improve the quality or functionality of the local area, under the NPPF. The National Design Guide will further support this, and local authorities are being encouraged to develop their own specific guides for each area, using the principles set out in the new standard. There is also an intention to publish the first Government- backed National Model Design Code next year, which will be discussed following the publication of the final Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report in December. Industry reaction to the guide was mixed, with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) president Alan Jones stating that while the idea of highlighting good practice is positive, particularly focusing on how the built environment affects climate change, the proposal to extend Permitted Development Rights will undermine principles set out in the guide. “The RIBA will continue to urge the Government to seriously consider this move, which will only lead to more homes that sidestep vital quality and environmental standards,” he said.
november/december 2019
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