Shapps names seven sites for self-builds

Thursday 12th July 2012

The Government has named seven sites where public land will be made available for self-build homes. Housing minister Grant Shapps has asked the Homes and Communities Agency to identify more sites suitable for self-build.

He has also confirmed £30m of funding in the form of short-term loans which will be made available for self-build schemes of five or more units over the next three years. The money can cover 75% of early costs such as land acquisition, site preparation, and section 106 obligations.

TV’s Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud said: “This fund will be widely welcomed, and should lead to many pioneering group self-build projects taking off.

“It should also be applauded by small builders and specialist self-build enablers as they too can apply for finance to help kickstart multi-plot self-build projects.”

The largest of the self-build sites is at Trevenson Park, Pool, Cornwall, where there will be 60 plots. The others are:
    •    Kingsweir and Torpoint, Bristol
    •    Spencers Park, Hemel Hempstead
    •    Pleasley Colliery, Bolsover
    •    Upper Tuesley Milford, Surrey
    •    Wilson Road, Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent
    •    Chase Avenue, Walton Park, Milton Keynes