Right to Build Task Force advises on potential Custom and Self Build plots at Welborne Garden Village, and announces its next knowledge-sharing regional Expo
The Right to Build Task Force has started working with Fareham Borough Council to consider opportunities to include a range of Custom and Self-Build housing plots as part of the planned 6,000 home Welborne Garden Village, on the edge of Fareham in Hampshire.
On 1 February, Richard Bacon MP, Ambassador of the Task Force, and Mario Wolf, Right to Build Task Force Director, met the Leader of the Council, Councillor Seán Woodward, Chief Executive Peter Grimwood, local councillors and senior council officers to discuss opportunities for Welborne Garden Village to provide for a sizable number of Custom and Self-build housing opportunities across the development. The advice from the Task Force will inform the planning application for the future development of the Welborne site by the promoters, Buckland Development Limited.
Since its launch last year, the Right to Build Task Force has been working with a range of local authorities, landowners and other industry stakeholders to bring forward Custom, Self-build and community-led housing opportunities, with an emphasis on scale and housing affordability. It is able to offer subsidised support for local authorities and community groups, to enable them to identify the best way they can meet the demand on their Right to Build registers.
There are now over 33,000 people signed up to the Right to Build registers, which means that local authorities across England must give development permission for enough serviced building plots to meet this growing demand. This is under the responsibilities placed on them by the Right to Build legislation.
As large, carefully-planned communities, garden towns and villages offer huge scope for bringing forward a range of well-designed housing opportunities, with a mix of tenures. Consequently, they are a logical choice to help meet local demand for people who want to build their own homes, whether that be through Custom Build, Self-build or cohousing opportunities.
The Task Force has already received almost 150 enquiries for support since it was launched in February 2017. Through its work it has helped Buckinghamshire Advantage pursue 165 plots for Custom and Self-build housing at Aylesbury Woodlands, part of Aylesbury Garden Village, which it has since secured a resolution on to grant planning permission, subject to a Section 106 agreement. The Task Force is also advising a range of other organisations, including the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning and Delivery Unit on opportunities at Tresham Garden Village and across the wider North Northamptonshire area.
As part of its remit, the Right to Build Task Force partners with NaCSBA and Wood for Good to hold regular regional Expos to showcase its work and share best practice, welcoming a broad cross-section of financiers, local authority planning and housing teams, landowners, developers and many others working in the sector.
The next such event will be the Right to Build Expo: unlocking the potential of custom and self-build (South West) on Thursday 8 March at Westpoint Exeter, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DJ with tickets available at Eventbrite. Details about further Expos will be released soon.
The Task Force comprises a growing Panel of Experts which is available to provide targeted support and advice on a wide range of issues, from strategic planning to sales and marketing of plots and community-led development opportunities.
It is also supported by Ambassador Richard Bacon MP who along with his Deputy Ambassadors are championing the work of the Task Force at political and community level. The Task Force is therefore delighted to announce that Councillor Richard Lewis of Leeds City Council is joining the Task Force as Deputy Ambassador.
Councillor Lewis, who is Executive Board Member responsible for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, comes to the Task Force with considerable experience, having championed Leeds’ Housing Growth Strategy and community-led Self-build housing opportunities in the city, such as the pioneering LILAC co-housing community of 20 eco-build households in West Leeds.
Richard Bacon MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Self-Build, Custom and Community Housebuilding and Placemaking and Ambassador for the Task Force said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Fareham Borough Council today to discuss self-building opportunities at Welborne Garden Village. Developments such as Welborne offer huge scope for bringing forward a range of well-designed housing options and are therefore a logical choice to help meet local demand for people who want to build their own homes.
“I am delighted that Councillor Lewis is joining the Task Force and will be promoting its work across the country, helping to champion the Right to Build to our local communities.”
Cllr Seán Woodward, Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “I was delighted to host Richard Bacon MP and his colleagues from the Right to build Task Force today. We are working with the Task Force to deliver more affordable housing and offer home ownership options which will suit a variety of modern needs. This includes offering space at Welborne Garden Village where people can design and build their own homes.”
Mario Wolf, Director of the RTB Task Force, said: “I am pleased that Fareham Borough Council has approached the Task Force for advice. Garden villages such as Welborne are well placed to include an ambitious and diverse Custom and Self-build housing offer to local communities. We look forward to working with the team at Fareham.”
Local authorities and stakeholders can find out more about the Right to Build Task Force in the Right to Build Toolkit at https://righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk
The Right to Build registers are a key evidence tool for housing assessment, so please include a link to inform and support members of the public who want to sign up to their local Right to Build registers at https://www.righttobuildportal.org
Photo caption (from left to right) Mario Wolf, Right to Build Task Force Director, Cllr Seán Woodward, Fareham Borough Council and Richard Bacon MP, Ambassador of the Task Force.