Home ownership is becoming increasingly difficult for large numbers of the population. It has been widely publicised in the media that there is inadequate provision of housing to allow economic needs to be met and many young people and families are unable to acquire a home of their own due to escalating costs.
In 2007 a Government report on tackling the housing crisis recommended families were urged to build their own homes. A recent Government led initiative, July 2011, has produced an Action Plan, 'To Promote the Growth of Self Build Housing', with the aim to create the conditions to enable more community-led group developments to be build. Increased self build developments would promote localism and help boost the wider economy. Group self build as an initiative has been receiving increased publicity in recent times and is being viewed as a viable option to meet the demands for affordable housing in today's economic climate.
Evening Standard - 2007
Daily Mail 31st January 2012
The Guardian January 2011
Ted Stevens, chairman of the National Self Build Association, says: "Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are keen to build their own, very affordable homes, so anything the government can do to help make this happen has to be applauded. By encouraging more self-build, people will get the homes they want cost effectively. It's perfectly possible to build a three-bed home for around £150,000."
BBC News July 2011
Project media interest