Right to Build Vanguard Councils Chosen

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has announced the 11 areas that will receive a share of £550,000 to pioneer the Right to Build scheme.

“We’re determined to help anyone who aspires to own their own home – whether that’s buying on the open market through schemes like our Help to Buy, or to build. That’s why from today, 11 areas across the country will be the first to offer a new Right to Build,” says Brandon Lewis.

The chosen vanguard councils will establish and maintaiRight to Build vanguard councils chosen a register of people that are interested in constructing their own home through custom or self-building. They will also be responsible for identifying sites that are appropriate for these small developments.

The list of councils and their budget allocation is detailed below:

• Cherwell District Council, who will receive £90,000 and are committed to deliver 2,000 custom-build homes over the next 10 years
• South Cambridgeshire District Council, who will receive £50,000 and will bring forward at least 100 plots of land for custom builders and to begin selling land from January 2015
• Teignbridge District Council, who will receive £100,000 and will be implementing a ground breaking ‘5% self-build’ policy in their newly adopted Local Plan so 5% of all new homes in the area are delivered by custom and self-builders
• Shropshire Council, who will receive £10,200 to bring forward 6 hectares of land for self-builders by linking with Stoke Council and local social landlords to find suitable plots
• Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, who will receive £15,000 to begin bringing land forward for sale in autumn 2014 by using formerly-developed council-owned land to support aspiring self-builders in the area
• West Lindsey District Council, who will receive £5,000 to make self-build plots available on previously-developed public sector land in the area
• Exmoor and Dartmoor National Park Authorities, who will receive £28,000 to explore how local self-builders can be helped while protecting important countryside
• Pendle Borough Council, who will receive £46,000 to deliver self-build plots in the area and explore how this could be used to further deliver affordable homes
• Sheffield City Council, who will receive just under £100,000 to further deliver over 800 self-build sites, and look to support groups planning their own custom builds
• South Norfolk District Council, who will receive £25,000 to work with Saffron Housing Association in the area to deliver 40-60 custom build plots
• Stoke-on-Trent City Council, who will bring forward 72 hectares of land for local self-builders in the area

The results of the pilot scheme will decide whether Right to Build will be extended nationwide. For more information visit our Right to Build Hub.

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