New housing and self-build homes

It has been widely reported that Britain is facing a housing crisis. Almost all experts agree that the country needs more housing and the Government attaches great significance on increasing the delivery of housing across the country.

The need and demand for new housing is increasing as a result of a number of pressures. People are living longer, household sizes are getting smaller and there is a need to respond to migration, particularly domestic migration, in respect of the East Riding.

Importantly, housing is expensive and the choices of high quality homes are limited. A simple measure of affordability is the 4:1 house price to income ratio, where the local average house prices are four times the local average income levels. Most parts of the country are well in excess of the 'affordable' 4:1 ratio, with the average being 8:1 across England and Wales. The East Riding is slightly more affordable at 7:1, but this is still well above the affordable ratio.

The reality, recognised by politicians, developers, councils and the general public, is that not enough homes are being built to keep pace with demand. At a very basic level, the Government considers that increasing the supply of housing is key to improving the affordability of housing.

We need to provide around 1,400 new houses per year. This is the figure set out in the East Riding Local Plan (Strategy Document).

Over the plan period, 2012-2029, this amounts to a minimum requirement of 23,800 new houses.

This number takes into consideration a wide range of factors, including:

• population and household projections
• affordable housing need
• future job forecasts, and
• the East Riding's relationship to neighbouring areas such as Hull and York.

Most new housing will take place in the larger settlements of the East Riding. The table below is taken from the Strategy Document and sets out a minimum housing requirement on a settlement by settlement basis.

(1) A list of the Rural Service Centres and Primary Villages is set out in the Strategy Document. Each settlement has a specific housing requirement.

(2) A list of Villages is set out in Appendix B of the Strategy Document. No specific housing requirement is set out for each Village.

*Hedon's housing requirement is based on existing commitments and houses built at the start of the plan period. No additional requirement has been identified on the basis of current evidence about the risk of flooding and surface water issues.

For each of the settlements listed in the above table, a range of sites have been specifically identified for development. These are set out in the Allocations Document and illustrated on the Policies Map.

To see if there are any planning applications for any of the sites, please visit our Public Access website.

The council supports new housing development in a number of ways. Firstly, in preparing the Local Plan it has identified a housing requirement and specific sites for housing development. This provides certainty for developers and local communities. Secondly, the council has been granting planning permission for new housing on these sites so that developments can get underway. Other proposals are also granted permission where they are in accordance with the policies of the Local Plan.

In addition, the council has prepared a Housing Delivery Action Plan that identifies a number of actions it can take, in conjunction with partners, to help boost the delivery of new housing. These actions are set out under five broad themes:

• Provide opportunities for the local development industry
• Address constraints on specific sites
• Provide certainty for investors (developers and landowners)
• Translate permissions into developments
• Support further housing opportunities
• Support communities in growing sustainably.

Specific actions include engaging with landowners and developers, preparing masterplans and development briefs for sites, and supporting people to custom-build or self-build their own home. A copy of the Housing Delivery Action Plan is set out below.

Housing Delivery Action Plan (February 2018) (pdf 2mb)

The East Riding Local Plan includes over 200 allocations (sites) suitable for development, the majority of which are suitable for new housing. The sites are set out in the Allocations Document.

The following file sets out which sites from the Allocations Document have received planning permission and where development has started. The data will be updated every two months.

Progress on Local Plan allocations (pdf 504kb)

The council has also prepared a Housing Sites Prospectus that sets out details on thirty residential development sites across the East Riding. The sites are allocated in the East Riding Local Plan so the principle of housing development has already been established. We understand that these sites are still available for a house-builder to bring forward.

We have provided a description for each site and set out information that we think is useful to help make investment decisions. This includes setting out how big each site is, how many houses it could accommodate, any delivery considerations and contact details for the landowner or agent. We also include some important local information such as the average house price in the area and the performance of schools.

East Riding Housing Sites Prospectus - September 2017 (pdf 8.2mb)

The number of new homes built over the last fifteen years has fluctuated and largely reflected the poor economic conditions since 2008. The table below shows the number of net new homes built since 2012/13, which is the beginning of the plan period for the East Riding Local Plan. A 'net' figure is the total amount of new/converted housing, minus existing housing lost to demolition or changes to other uses.

Yes. The government has announced a £3bn funding programme called the Home Building Fund, which is available to housebuilders. The fund provides loan funding to private sector businesses that build new homes or prepare sites for housing developments.

This includes small builders, community builders, custom-builders and regeneration specialists, as well as larger builders and developers.

The fund can be used to help fund a range of things, such as:

• helping to meet the development costs of building homes for sale or rent
  
• site preparation and the infrastructure needed to enable housing to progress
  
• to prepare land for development.

This can support schemes from a minimum of 5 units, with a minimum investment of £250k and maximum investment of £250m and funding is available to be drawn down by 31 March 2021.

The Home Building Fund is managed by the Homes England (HE) on behalf of the government. HE is the national housing, land and regeneration agency in England.

More information on the Fund and access to the enquiry form, please use the link below:

Home Building Fund (external website)

The most common type of custom-build housing is self-build, which is where people design and build their own property on there own plot of land. Self-builders often project manage the scheme themselves, however they can also employ professionals, such as architects or building contractors to deliver key stages.

Collective custom-building is different to self-build, as groups of individuals work together to build a number of properties on a site which they then move into as a community. Cohousing takes collective custom-building a step further as it involves constituting a group of people to undertake a joint development, which produces a number of individual homes in addition to other facilities, such as a communal house.

Developer-led custom-build is the other main form of custom-build housing. Here a developer subdivides a larger site into a number of 'design and build' plots. This gives people an opportunity to create a bespoke property.

Building your own home is becoming increasingly popular and the council recognises the potential for custom built properties to help deliver more housing in East Riding.

If you are interested in doing your own self-build or custom-build project, you can sign up for the East Riding Custom Build Register.

By registering your interest in purchasing a site (at market value) in the authority area, the council will circulate details of sites it becomes aware of which may be suitable for your project, as and when they become available for sale.

The East Riding Custom Build Register

The East Riding Custom Build Register is a register that anyone interested in custom/self-building can sign up to which helps the council better understand:

• how many people are interested in custom/self-building
  
• the size of properties people are interested in building
• which areas in the East Riding people would consider building in.

This will help the council understand the level of demand for sites that could be used for this form of housing, which the council can refer to when developing future plans and strategies.

To join the register you must be:

• 18-years-old or over and able to provide photo ID
• a British citizen (or a national of a EEA State other than the United Kingdom or a national of Switzerland
• interested in buying a serviced plot of land in East Riding of Yorkshire where you plan to build a house to live in as your sole or main residence (either on your own or with others).

In accordance with the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations (2016), the Self-Build Register is divided into two parts. Part 1 of the register is for those with a local connection to the East Riding, while Part 2 is for those without a local connection who meet the other eligibility criteria.

Please note that from 31 October 2017, in order to join the register, there will be a one-off fee payable of £50 which will help cover the administrative costs and enable to Council to better promote self-building opportunities in the area. The fee will only apply to those accepted onto the register and details of how to make the payment will be sent via email once the application has been processed. Applicants currently on the register will not be required to pay this fee. Applicants will be contacted on an annual basis to determine whether they wish to remain on the register and a response must be received within 28 days, otherwise, it will be assumed that they are no longer seeking to acquire a plot.

Joining the register

If you wish to join the register please complete the form below:

Apply to be added to the East Riding Custom Build Register (word 736kb)

Forms should be completed and returned to:

Email: housing.strategy@eastriding.gov.uk

Please note: by joining the register there is no guarantee that a plot that meets your specifications will become available.

Please refer to the privacy notice to find out more about how we handle the information we collect to process your application to join the register.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register Policy

The Council adopted a Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register Policy which gained approval from Cabinet in June 2017. The policy was designed to ensure that eligible residents with a genuine commitment to build (or commissioning someone to build) are provided with the details of suitable opportunities which the Council becomes aware of. The policy will also help the Council to manage the register to assess demand across the authority area and fulfil its obligations in accordance with the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act (2015):

Self Build Register Policy (word 808kb)

You can find helpful information on custom-build and self-build housing on the websites listed below.

The self-build portal includes a 'plot finding' application and a number of self-build case studies:

The self-build portal (external website)

The Build it website has step by step advice on how to approach a custom-build scheme, including how to find a site and what designs to consider:

Build it (external website)

Custom build homes lists sites and plots that are available for sale and provides advice on ways to finance a build:

Custom build homes (external website)

Plot finder offers a land and renovation finding service for homebuilders:

Plot finder (external website)

Plot browser offers a free plot finding service, which gives details of available plots in East Riding of Yorkshire:

Plot browser (external website)

UK Cohousing network provides information on cohousing:

UK cohousing network (external website)

Yes, the council has allocated £2 million of Government funding towards supporting community-led housing schemes.

Community housing puts the local community at centre stage in delivering the right housing to meet local needs. This can cover a wide range of initiatives, including Community Land Trusts, cohousing schemes and community self build projects.

The funding will be made available to help community groups investigate the need for such housing and to draw up the necessary plans. Funding may also be available to contribute towards the cost of purchasing land and building houses at a later stage.

To support this, the council has produced a Community Housing Fund Policy. The policy outlines how to go about bringing such a proposal forward and sets out the various conditions that would have to be satisfied to receive funding:

Community Housing Fund Policy (pdf 155kb)

The policy will support community groups in three stages:

1. Community Development/Set-up Fund - Funding of up to £4,000 per community to help develop the group to a constituted stage and undertake some initial community consultation activity.
2. Feasibility Fund - Funding of between £5,000 and £40,000 per scheme to undertake a feasibility study and produce a project plan. In this plan, communities would have to identify their proposed site, how they will secure match funding, what they intend to build and which members of their community will benefit from the scheme. At this stage, the group would be expected to have secured pre-planning advice on the scheme and have a clear understanding of any risks.
3. Development Fund - Grant funding may be provided to cover up to 35% of the total development cost of the scheme. A further loan of up to 15% will also be available on the provision that the community's project plan has demonstrated they have exhausted all other funding options.

The council is keen to hear from town and parish councils, community groups and from individuals who may be interested in bringing forward such housing schemes.

The Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council are helping communities work with the council on this initiative:

Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council (external website)

The full policy document is available through the ER4C website:

East Riding 4 Community funding (external website)