Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has announced a new development has been selected as a national pilot for large-scale custom build…
A development in Basingstoke has been selected as the site of a large-scale custom build pilot scheme. The 122 homes will be built by ZeroC at Park Prewett and all homes can be customised to the buyer’s specifications.
Some 44 plots will also be allocated for affordable housing, and a few sites will be put aside as self-build plots.
Two of the major barriers to custom builds is access to land and finance. Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said the government remained committed to removing these hurdles.
He said: “This government is committed to increasing housing supply and helping more people achieve their aspiration of home ownership – whether that’s buying on the open market through schemes like Help to Buy, or to build.
“We want to see custom and self build grow significantly and believe it can play a role as part of a wider package of measures to help deliver the homes people want.
“The Park Prewett pilot is a fantastic example of our commitment to double the number of custom build and self build homes by 2020 – so anyone who wishes to design their dream house can do so.”
Managing Director of ZeroC Kim Slowe said the development offered a unique opportunity to pioneer the delivery of custom build in the UK.
The government will push £350m extra funding into the sector in a bid to increase custom build initiatives. Additionally, a new flexible fund offering £1bn in loan finance will replace the Builder’s Finance Fund and the Custom Build Service Plots fund.
Reforms will also be brought in to help small builders, including measures in the Housing and Planning Bill requiring authorities to allocate suitable plots to prospective custom and self-builders registered in their area.
The site was acquired by the Homes and Communities Agency from the Highways Agency last year. The team is working with Zero C and local authority Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to achieve planning permission. Subject to successful planning consent building is expected to begin in 2016.
