Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to assign a proportion of all building permissions granted for developments of over 30 houses for self builds. [189445]

Nick Boles, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Planning [holding answer 28 February 2014]: The National Planning Policy Framework asks councils through their Local Plans to meet the full, objectively assessed needs for all types of housing in their areas, and to identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites for housing which are sufficient to provide five years worth of housing against their housing needs. To deliver a wide choice of quality homes, the Framework sets out that councils should plan for a mix of housing, taking into account the needs of different groups in the community, such as people wishing to build their own homes.

We have also published draft planning guidance to support councils to plan for people wishing to build their own homes. The guidance makes clear our commitment to enabling more people to build their own home and to make this form of housing a mainstream housing option. The guidance is clear that local planning authorities should plan to meet the strong latent demand for such housing and suggests way to identify that demand, including considering surveying local residents and compiling a list or register of people who want to build their own homes.

In addition to draft Government guidance, The National Self Build Association has published ‘Planning for Custom Build Housing: A Practice Guide’, which offers helpful advice to councils, housing associations, developers, self-build community groups and individuals on the ways they can facilitate self and custom-build development and make it easier for people to build their own homes.

The Government is also providing a wide range of support for those wishing to build their own home, including:

exempting people who want to build their own home from the Community Infrastructure Levy;

freeing up more surplus public sector land in co-operation with the Homes and Communities Agency to bring forward a range of sites for custom build homes;

introducing a £30 million Custom Build Homes Fund which makes available repayable finance for larger multi-unit projects;

enabling community groups who want to build their own homes to apply for a share of £65 million available grant funding through the Affordable Homes Guarantees Programme; and

taking forward proposals to consult on a new 10-unit threshold for section 106 affordable housing contributions.

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