At the launch of the Build It’s Self Build Education House at Graven Hill yesterday, the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) announced Right to Build Day, together with its intention to track local authority activity around the Right to Build legislation*.
Right to Build Day is a watershed date for anyone wanting to create their own home via Self or Custom Build, as it marks the first date when councils must show that they have matched numbers on Right to Build registers with ‘sufficient development permissions** granted. Councils must therefore demonstrate that they have granted sufficient ‘development permissions’ for the 18,000 people signed up to the local Custom and Self Build registers in the first partial year between 1st April-30th October 2016. From here on, each 30th October will mark the next complete cycle of plot permissions.
NaCSBA will track this activity with its annual Freedom of Information request to all English authorities, research that will create an accurate snapshot of activity around the availability of plots. This will demonstrate which local authorities are championing the rights of their residents to Self Build and which are failing in their duty, information it will be sharing with Government as it campaigns to create increased housing diversity in the UK.
Build It’s Self Build Education House
Officially opened by Richard Bacon, MP and Right to Build Task Force Ambassador (pictured, with Build It Editor Chris Bates], Build It’s Self Build Education House is a permanent Self Build resource created by Build It magazine at Graven Hill – the UK’s largest Custom and Self Build site, which will eventually have 1,900 unique homes.
The Self Build Education House has been created in partnership with Graven Hill to provide a unique insight into the process of creating your own home and how an amazing home can be built for a realistic budget on a modest plot. As visitors explore the Education House, informational graphics guide them through the magazine’s Self Build journey and the practical choices they can expect to face on their own projects – regardless of where they are building. Visitors can also see cut-outs of key structural details and pick up a complete handbook taking them step-by-step through the process of designing and building the Education House, together with a free copy of Build It magazine.
NaCSBA recognises that one of the most significant barriers to people fulfilling their dreams of Self Building is a lack of knowledge, with NaCSBA’s Self Build Portal website (www.selfbuildportal.org.uk) an important source of objective advice. Consequently, it welcomes the opening of the Self Build Education House as a valuable resource for anyone interested in Self Building, helping them balance decisions with budgets to get the best possible outcome.
Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, CEO, National Custom and Self Build Association said: “Right to Build Day is a pivotal date for the sector, as it has had to wait a long time to see how effective the legislation has been. Our research, together with the work of the Right to Build Task Force, has helped us identify good, bad and some downright ugly performance from local authorities, and we will hold the government to its commitment to consider taking further action, including possible changes to legislation if they do not believe sufficient action is being taken.
“Ongoing annual targets will mean local authorities will now need to continue to ensure a regular pipeline of new plots, enabling more wonderful new homes to be built and, in doing so, create a virtuous cycle of increased public awareness, increased opportunities and increased supply of Custom and Self Build homes.”
Chris Bates, Editor of Build It said: “Build It’s Self Build Education House seeks to inspire the next generation of Self Builders and demystify the process of creating your own individual home. The Education House empowers people to access the Self Build route by helping them understand their design, build and fit-out choices and equipping them with the knowledge they need to achieve a better quality, better designed and better value-for-money home.”
Karen Curtin, Managing Director of Graven Hill said: “The birth of Right to Build day is a perfect example of how the housing sector has welcomed innovation. At Graven Hill, we have embraced the spirit of the Right to Build legislation by helping to make Self and Custom Building accessible to all. In today’s society, a forward-thinking attitude can be all that’s needed to start something amazing. For us, this is everything the on-site Build It Education Hub represents. The Hub will play a vital role in educating people about choice, design and construction. In showcasing our passion for a new approach to housing, we want to inspire others to rethink their approach to choosing – or building – a new home.”