With the rise in popularity of self-build homes in the UK, our Senior Architect David Symons begins a three-part series looking at the process of self-building in the UK:
- Part 1: Finding a Plot
- Part 2: Navigating the Planning Process
- Part 3: Design Development and Building on Site
Being born in Canada and growing up visiting my Grandpa’s self-built timber cabin in Vancouver, I have always been drawn to self-build projects and their potential to create a beautiful and timeless buildings that are entirely unique to their owner.
Self-building has a strong history in the UK, with examples of individually constructed properties from most eras from the country’s past with a particular focus on self-built bungalows constructed in the inter-war and early post-war periods.
Modern self-building in the UK was pioneered by individuals such as the German architect Walter Segal. Prolific in the ’70s and ’80s – Segal developed his own simplified timber frame construction system aimed at allowing individuals to construct their homes to a standardised set of plans and details. The ethos of Segal’s projects was to create social cohesion and social mobility by providing people who may not have otherwise had a chance to own their home to be involved in the construction process.
Whilst examples of Segal-inspired self-build communities can be found throughout the UK to this day it is more common for individuals to build one-off homes for themselves – often in more isolated locations.
TV Shows like Grand Designs have highlighted the appeal and pitfalls of self-building since the late 90s, spawning multiple spin-offs and similar shows all with their own following and leading to many in-person self-build and home shows further growing the popularity of this route to homeownership.
The UK government saw the rise of this industry and recognised its benefit in meeting the housing needs of the country with the introduction self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 which seeks to help individuals find sites in their local area.
Self-building today can range from the simple timber structures of Walter Segal and my grandfather with very little budget and a lot of manual labour over many, to modular kit houses delivered to site and assembled in weeks, to more traditionally constructed properties built by a main contractor and either project managed by individuals or their consultants. Each self-build route has it’s own positives and negatives, but every project starts and ends with the same thing – finding the right plot.
- Importance of starting with the right plot – it sets the tone for the entire project.
Finding the right plot for a self-build is critical to the success of the project. My grandfather’s cabin wouldn’t be anything without the rugged rocky terrain, water views and cedar and fir trees that defined the character of the site and provided the building blocks for the structure.
Understanding your Self-Build needs and goals
- Establish your vision: lifestyle aspirations, budget, sustainability goals, etc.
One of the first steps to finding the right plot for your build is to establish your vision. What are your lifestyle aspirations, maximum budget, sustainability goals etc. On lifestyle aspirations – for example, are you looking to live in a rural area, on a farm (see our class Q series), in a village, town or coastal location?
Narrowing down these preferences will help to establish where to start looking for the right kinds of plots.
Establishing a maximum budget is key to understanding the money you have available to buy a plot and to deliver a build to your own standards and expectations. Having this knowledge as early as possible can allow you to pinpoint the geographic areas within your price range.
Sustainability aspirations can also help to narrow down plot choices with certain types of site more suited to achieving sustainable goals. Re-using existing buildings or building on previously developed land can be great ways to lower the embodied carbon of a project and to reduce biodiversity impacts.
- How your vision influences the type, size, and location of the plot.
Your vision for a self-build will influence the type, size and location of plot that can meet your brief. A garden plot in the suburbs won’t help you achieve the dream of living in the countryside, and an isolated rural plot doesn’t meet everyone’s budget requirements. When looking at the types of plot that suit your brief, think about whether or not you are looking for land with or without planning permission in place. Is the plot big enough to accommodate the type of home you are looking for, as well as a reasonable garden, parking areas and access? Is the plot not too large to be unmanageable – in practical terms and in relation to budget. Every extra square meter of build and landscaping adds to budget costs. Finally, on location this will need to meet your own personal needs in terms of access to services, schools and other amenities – but also think about how the site will be accessed during the building and how easy or difficult it will be to get materials and services to the plot.
- Urban vs rural: pros and cons of each setting.
Urban plots can be more affordable than greenfield sites depending on the location – they can also benefit from existing buildings suitable for conversion that can be an asset in certain situations. Often urban plots come with significant constraints; potential land contamination, underground and hidden services, privacy and overlooking concerns from neighbours as well as potential for other complex party wall and neighbourly issues. However, in planning policy terms – building on infill plots or brownfield (previously developed) land can be more compliant and an easier route than rural sites.
Rural sites can be expensive if residential development potential has already been established – however they can have the benefit from a lack of neighbourly issues and a clean/ blank slate without the same physical constraints as urban sites. However, in planning policy terms building isolated dwellings in the countryside can be a very contentious task. Infill plots in villages, the conversion or replacement of existing buildings (under class Q) or other policies or more recently development on ‘grey belt’ land can all help increase the chances of gaining permission. Finally, for the most daring and tenacious self-builders the famous Paragraph 84 (formerly paragraph 80, paragraph 79, paragraph 55, PPS 7) or the ‘country house clause’ can allow a route to permission for outstanding and innovative isolated dwellings in the countryside. Although, every self-builder should beware – the bar to achieving success under this policy is by definition extremely high with designs needing to, among other things ne “truly outstanding, reflecting the highest standards in architecture, and would help to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas”.
Where to look for self-Build plots
- Online platforms: Plotfinder, Rightmove, Zoopla, etc.
There are a huge number of great online tools and apps out there for finding self-build plots in the same way as finding any other properties for sale. Apps like Rightmove and Zoopla often display a good range of land for sale and are free to use. Tools like Plotfinder are more specifically tailored to self-builders, however are often paid for services.
- Local estate agents: building relationships to access off-market opportunities.
Speaking to local estate agents can be a great way to finding leads on plots that not as many other people know about. In the same way as buying any property if you can help an agent understand your needs, they can work with you to help find the right plots. We would generally suggest speaking with more development and rural focused estate agents such as Bagshaws LLP who are experienced in marketing self-build plots and can often provide more robust advice than typical high street agents.
- Local authority registers: the ‘Right to Build’ register.
All local authorities have a requirement to register the interest of self-builders and do their best to find plots for these individuals. See this article from my colleague Richard about how to make use of these registers to help find a plot.
- Auctions and land sales.
Auctions and land sales are another potential way to find self-build plots – however it is important to keep in mind that buying property this way can require significant costs up front in comparison to traditional sales and there is always the potential for unexpected issues if you are unable to view a plot before it goes under the hammer.
- Word of mouth and “plot spotting” – looking for gaps in housing stock or infill opportunities.
Once you have a good understanding of what you are looking for and how to tackle the planning constraints of specific plot types – looking for opportunities on google maps and in person walking around your preferred locations can be a good way to find plots that not even estate agents are aware of yet. It goes without saying that trespassing on someone else’s property to get a look at a potential plot is never an option – and when approaching landowners about any off-market sales it is key to be tactful and respectful and it is always advisable to engage a property professional to help with the process.
Assessing a plot’s potential
- • Key questions to ask:
- Is it likely to get planning permission?
- Is it serviced or unserviced?
- What are the site constraints (e.g., topography, access, trees)?
All the above questions are critical to understanding if a plot will work for you for a self-build. Looking at similar planning approvals in the local area where you plot sits is a good way to understand if your plans have potential. You should also consider policy aspects such as; could the plot be considered ‘infill’ does it site within the existing line of development. Is the plot within a well serviced town or village or is it isolated? All of these things will have a bearing on the planning potential.
Plots are generally unlikely to be serviced unless they have existing buildings or are purpose made development plots with planning already in place.
Key things to consider are; water, energy and broadband. The most straightforward way generally to bring water to a site is to tap into an existing mains supply – the critical thing to understand is how far away the nearest main is from you site – installing new water mains can be a costly exercise before any other building work starts. In certain circumstances other sources such as bore holes can be considered. With gas generally being phased out of new build properties – the most critical consideration with modern builds is an electricity connection. Again, unless you are proposing a fully ‘off-grid’ property you will need to consider how to tap into the nearest electricity feed for an energy supply appropriate to the size of the dwelling. It is important to think about the power demands of things like Air Source Heat Pumps and EV chargers when sizing electricity supplies. On site generation from Solar PV panels, or small wind turbines can all help bring power to a site. Finally, the building regulations require a superfast broadband connection to all new properties – ideally this will come from an existing fibre network close to the site – however other alternatives including even satellite provided broadband do exist.
- The role of a feasibility study – what it should cover.
The first stage whenever we get involved with a self-build project identifying a new plot is a Feasibility Study. This is a piece of planning and design work that we can produce that will assess in detail the planning constraints and development potential of a site. This will look at all relevant local and national planning policy, the physical constraints of the site and potential design options for a new dwelling. Our feasibility studies generally conclude with a written and illustrated report summarising all of these points and professional advice on the best route forward.
- Why working with an architect early helps avoid pitfalls.
Engaging with an architect and planning consultant early in your self-build journey will help to establish the feasibility of building on any site and can ensure that your brief and requirements are realistic and achievable within your budget. Every site is unique, but an architect can help establish your core brief or ‘wish list’ of your requirements for a new home that can then be used as a blueprint for finding the right site. Once you have identified a site, an architect will quickly be able to determine if it can adequately accommodate what you are looking for.
Financial Considerations
• How much should you spend on a plot (rule of thumb: 30–40% of total budget)?
When embarking on a self-build journey it is always important to understand how your project will be funded. Do you have cash available to fund any of the process including the purchase of the land or the build? Or will all or part of this need to be funded by borrowing. More and more mortgage products are becoming available in the UK from providers such as Buildstore – that can offer staged funding including all parts of the build and land purchase. It is also worth looking into the governments new Help to Build Loan scheme which can help towards funding a self-build project. Having all of these discussions early with a financial advisor can help to confirm the budget you can afford.
- Hidden costs: demolition, site clearance, access roads, utilities.
Some sites come with more hidden costs and constraints than others – if you can get involved in some of this work yourself it can help to reduce costs. However, when it comes to demolition, we would always advise seeking professional help to avoid any health and safety issues relating to unstable structures or the existence of contamination such as asbestos. Equally, any site clearance needs to be approached sensitively in relation to ecology and in particular bird nesting seasons.
- Land valuation – what makes a plot more or less valuable?
Getting estate agent input on your plot at an early stage once you have an idea of the design you are going for can help to establish the ceiling price of any completed dwelling in relation to sales prices in the area. Obviously for most self-builders, constructing your dream home isn’t about selling the end product to make a profit. However establishing a ceiling price for the type of dwelling you are building can be a good way to understand the maximum amount of money that it is sensible to spend on a build without making a loss in relation to your final property value.
Risks and Red Flags
- Common issues: flood zones, contamination, poor access.
The governments flood map for planning service is a valuable tool for establish flood risk for any development plot. Plots in Flood Risk Zone 1 are ideal with the lowest risk of flooding – whereas any plots in Zones 2 and 3 will generally need input from a flood risk assessor, should avoid ground floor bedrooms and need careful consideration of floor levels to manage any potential risk. Any previously developed land has the potential for contamination which may need to be addressed. Contamination can also come from high levels of naturally occurring contaminants (such as lead in many parts of Derbyshire) and also ground gases such as Radon.
- Challenges with listed buildings and conservation
Other critical things to think about is heritage and the impact of conservation areas and listed buildings. Any plots within conservation areas of close to listed buildings will need to be approached sensitively with planning generally being more constrained in these locations.
- Protected trees and ecology
Any plots with significant existing trees should be approached carefully. Tree Protection Orders for some large trees can be difficult to overcome when considering a self-build – and it is important to remember that all large trees in conservation areas are protected. Even un-protected trees need to be considered carefully in relation to biodiversity requirements and the impact of their lost.
- Planning refusals and local opposition.
Any plots with significant planning history and several refusals should be approached carefully. These kinds of sites with significant local opposition can be difficult to build on successfully without significant time and cost at the planning stage.
Conclusion
There is obviously a lot to think about when finding the right plot for your build. There are many, many practical considerations and technical points that could make or break a project and are worth exploring in detail before committing to any one site. However, it is equally as important to find the right plot for you personally – a place that you feel connected to and want to be a part of. The views, atmosphere and general feeling of a place are key to giving you the inspiration needed to imagine what a new home in that place could be and to solidify the reasons for embarking on a self-build. This kind of motivation is what will carry your through what can be the difficult process of building your own home, and it just wont be there if you don’t feel connected to the place.
The key takeaways from this guide should be; get proactive, do your research and work with professionals to do your best to get off to a strong start with the right plot for your project. If you are just at the start of your journey and need help identifying sites, or if you have a plot in mind that you need advice about taking forward at Planning and Design practice we have years of experience of getting the most out of a range of building plots and will always be happy to help.
Get in touch for an initial chat about how we might be able to help on 01332 347371 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk
In the next part of this series we will look in more detail at navigating the planning process of a self-build project and what is involved in getting approval for your dream home.
