Study Reveals Self-Build Insights

Eight out of ten people are unaware that councils keep a register of those interested in buying land in the local area for a self-build project, according to recent research undertaken on behalf of NaCSBA and Ipswich Building Society.

The registers’ introduction on 1 April 2016 came as part of the new Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act, in an effort to gauge the demand for self-build plots and force councils to respond with build-ready land.

While the NaCSBA’s new Right to Build Portal does much to help self-build hopefuls, it seems there’s still work to be done in making people aware of these registers. “This figure needs to change,” said NaCSBA chairman Michael Holmes. “The NaCSBA is working hard to raise the public profile and support councils across the country to ensure that they have the correct measures in place. Currently, only 35% of LPAs have adopted a register and our aim is to get this to 100%.”

The study sought to reveal the level of interest and understanding in self-build amongst the UK population. It showed that one in eight (12%) of Brits (or around 6 million people) will research how to build their own home in the next 12 months – reinforcing the belief that self and custom build, if supported and promoted properly, offers a viable route to combating the current housing shortage.

In fact, 19% of those surveyed believe that if custom or self-build homes made up a larger share of new homes being built, public support for building new homes would increase.

It seems that many individuals value the cost-effective and autonomous nature of self-build, as the report demonstrated that people are equally likely to manage the project themselves as they are to use a professional company to handle the whole process.

Despite these high levels of interest only 1 in 50 will take specific action in the next 12 months to further their self-build dream. This includes purchasing land, submitting a planning application, or carrying out construction

It seems that in order for self-build to fulfil its potential to make-up the housing shortfall we must bridge the gap between general population’s enthusiasm and its ability to act upon it. Hopefully, awareness for the Right to Build registers will continue to grow and councils will respond with sufficient permissioned plots, as required by the upcoming Housing & Planning Bill.