Self-build
Your project at Salt Cross
Self and custom building provide the opportunities to achieve your ambition to build the type of home you want to live in.
These ambitions could relate to the size and style of your home, the community you want to live in, a home that is better suited to your budget or that helps you keep your bills down. And there is more than one way to do it. If you organise the design and you, or your community, live in it when it's built… then it’s a self-build!
If you have the time, the skills and the energy you can take on the design and building work yourself. But if not, you can bring in specialists to help with any or all the aspects you can’t do yourself - this is still self-building.
If you and like-minded people you know are interested in self-building you can work together to develop a community-led housing project. This is becoming an increasingly popular way for communities to influence the design, build and ownership of the homes they live in.
There will be around 2200 homes at Salt Cross and opportunity for 110 of these to be allocated to self-builders.
We know the carbon agenda is a priority for many self-builders and they will be contributing to net zero ambitions for the development as a whole.
We would like to hear from you if you are collaborating with other like-minded self-builders or those thinking of a community led scheme or affordable housing scheme and might be interested in self-build or community led build at Salt Cross. Contact us via email using this email address [email protected].
Bringing your self-build project to life
Ways to deliver a self-build home
Self-build
Self-build homes are defined as those where someone directly organises the design and construction of their own home. This covers a wide range of projects including a traditional DIY self-build home to projects where the self-builder employs someone to build their home for them. Self-building does not necessarily mean picking up bricks and physically getting stuck in. Most self-builders will be involved in the creative side of the process.
Custom-build
Custom-build describes a more 'hands-off' approach where you work with a developer as an individual, or a group, to help deliver your own home. The developer may help to find a plot or manage the construction, but your home will be tailored to match your individual requirements.
Individual plots
Individuals purchase a plot and then take full responsibility for the design and construction of the home, often working with a specialist self-build contractor. On a development such as Salt Cross there are likely to be some design restrictions on what can be built on the plot (sometimes referred to as a plot passport) and may also be to an agreed timescale regarding how soon the plot needs to be finished after purchase.
Here are links to some self-build schemes in progress:
- Self-build homes at Graven Hill
- Six self-build plots launched in South Gloucestershire – Self-build Portal
Group projects
People can form together into groups to undertake a self- build project together. By forming an organisation people can get involved at different levels and potentially different budgets. This can save money and effort. Groups will often work with an enabling developer who can work with the group on a design, and project manage the scheme.
This is most often referred to as community self-build and includes a specific type of scheme called cohousing.
Here some links to some schemes of this type:
Self-build affordable housing
Whilst many self-build plots are for private sale there are ways to make self-build accessible to those priced out of the market. This would normally be through a group approach which could be for a fully affordable scheme or a mixed tenure project. Examples:
Planning your project
Getting started
Register your interest
Register on West Oxfordshire District Council’s self and custom-build register: Self-build housing - West Oxfordshire District Council (westoxon.gov.uk).
We will keep people updated as plans for self- build housing develop at Salt Cross. The register helps us to understand more about the needs of people who wish to become self-builders and will help us to engage with you in initiating your project. Once registered, you will be updated on self and custom build opportunities that arise.
Start to research your preferred options for delivering your self-build home
There is a wealth of information available. Some useful sources are:
- https://www.nacsba.org.uk/
- https://www.the-self-build-guide.co.uk - information for self-building your own home
- https://righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk/
Financing your project
How you finance the building of a new home depends on your own circumstances and the delivery route you choose.
Individual self-build/custom-build
You may have savings that you can invest in your new home, or you may choose to sell your existing home to free up money for the build. However, many people require a bridging loan or a self- build mortgage to finance the costs.
A bridging loan enables you to borrow until you are ready to sell your current home to clear the loan. But many self- builders, particularly those without a lot of equity will seek a self-build mortgage. These allow money to be drawn down at different stages of the build. You won’t be able to apply until you have planning permission and a tendered build price.
To give an idea the following site has a summary of the self-build mortgages currently available: https://www.buildstore.co.uk/mortgages-finance
Group self-build/custom-build
Again, there are many routes to take for group funded projects. They may fund their own individual project within a group scheme, but for a more communal scheme, members of the group will pool resources.
If working with an enabling developer, the developer may finance the scheme with members purchasing on completion of the project. This is effectively a vendor loan.
Here is an example of a privately financed project where loans were provided by members and later from the Homes and Communities Agency: A finance solution for Cannock Mill Cohousing - UK Cohousing Network
Another model is mutual home ownership where a group constitute as a mutual home ownership society and raise loans to finance the scheme and members repay the loan based on their income through which they acquire equity in their home: A different way of owning a stake in your home (cds.coop)
Government backed equity loans
The government has introduced an equity loan scheme that is designed to assist people with the financing of their project: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-to-build-making-building-your-own-home-more-affordable
