How to land a good plot

THE first stumbling block for potential self-builders is finding land, and a number of those who fall at this first hurdle compromise with a conversion or renovation instead of building a new home.

Individual building plots are becoming increasingly hard to find, due in part to planning policies that deliberately restrict the supply of building land as a means of protecting the landscape.

Competition for quality plots is fierce, with local builders having expert knowledge and often inside information, but there are ways to ensure you stay one step ahead of the rest.

Finance

Plot availability varies from area to area, with regions such as the South-East almost devoid of affordable single plots. Even previously bountiful areas such as Devon and Cornwall have seen a significant increase in the price of land and derelict buildings.

Most vendors know exactly how much their land is worth and will charge accordingly. Nowadays, you would be lucky to pick up a bargain, even at auction, so it is worth budgeting for a plot and sticking to it.

Do not be fooled by adverts for inexpensive building land with no planning permission. It is fairly easy to buy a substantial field for just a few thousand pounds but, without outline planning permission (OPP), it will be impossible to build on. OPP sends the price of land soaring, although detailed planning permission is perhaps less desirable as it may tie you to an unsuitable house design or specification.

Money talks, and if you have already organised finance for a plot it will save valuable time when negotiations begin.

Land costs around one-third of the total budget (although this figure increases in certain areas to more than 50 per cent) and, although some people are able to raise this money privately, others need to sell their existing house to release the equity, and rent or move in with family.

The majority of self-build lenders will offer an advance for the purchase of a plot of between 50 and 75 per cent of its value, with some using the equity in their house as security if they wish to remain there. If no advance is offered for the plot then, for a stage payment mortgage, the first payment would usually be made once the foundations are down.

Estate agents

The most obvious route when it comes to sourcing a plot is through an estate agent.

Not all agents deal with building land, so it is worth phoning around (or using the internet) before you ask to go on mailing lists. Spend a set time each week calling estate agents and checking local papers, as many plots slip through the net due to inefficient office staff.

Publications

It is always worth running your own "wanted" ad in local free papers stating that you are looking for building land. Self-build publications such as SelfBuild and Design offer help with locating land and provide lists of self-build and renovation opportunities either through the magazine or on its website.

Plot-finding agencies

Dedicated plot-finding and creating companies are springing up in this country, many of whom will advertise in specialist magazines. English Counties and Homelands of England Ltd are two companies which buy large areas of land with planning consent and parcel this up for self-builders - often as fully serviced sites.

Other agencies, such as Landbank Services and Virgin Plot, specialise in locating land on your behalf.

Green fields

Most self-builders dream of a level, tree-screened building plot bordered by a babbling brook. The reality is that it is getting more difficult to develop virgin land in the open countryside.

Proving a necessity for a dwelling close to an agricultural business is one method of circumnavigating this barrier, although agricultural ties are difficult to break and will almost certainly reduce the value of your property.

Insider information

Your local council is required to keep a register of all plots measuring more than half an acre, and will sometimes hold information on land for self-builders. In areas such as Milton Keynes, where there are lots of building plots, a single call may be all it takes.

By asking to see the planning register in your local council's planning department you may be able to identify land awaiting OPP prior to the landowner selling. Even if he hadn't considered selling, everything has a price and persistence can pay off.

Use your eyes

It is amazing how many people end up building on a plot of land a stone's throw from their home. People are not aware of the potential on their doorstep.

By scrutinising an Ordnance Survey map, walking or driving around your chosen area and talking to local people, you may be able to locate an infill plot or piece of garden which, although it might not have OPP, could be reserved subject to the appropriate consent being granted.

By taking out an option to buy, or agreeing to exchange contracts subject to planning permission being gained, you are effectively taking little or no financial risk.

Such deals are often sealed with a handshake and a nominal deposit, but can lead to purchasing the ideal plot.

Gardens

One of the most obvious places to locate land is in your own back garden. If you have sufficient space or can buy land from surrounding properties and access is not a problem, this can be the easiest and least expensive option.

Contact the local planning department for initial advice but remember that building a house in this way will devalue your existing property.

Bungalow eating

Many new self-built properties stand on the footprint of dwellings which they have replaced. Often these are bungalows or ramshackle buildings which are either too far gone to renovate or simply do not make the best use of a plot.

Each local authority will have its own guidelines regarding the replacement of an existing building, some are quite strict about building like for like in terms of height and area.

Others will allow substantial increases in the overall floorspace and, on the agreement that the existing building is demolished by a certain date, will sometimes allow the new house to be positioned elsewhere on the site - freeing up the old property for storage or even temporary habitation during the build. Such plots will usually be serviced with drains and access already in place.

Plot sharing

Self-builders who band together to purchase a large parcel of land on which to build two or more homes should consider carefully before making a commitment.

The plus side is that the cost of labour and building materials may be reduced if you club together.

Brown field sites

Land which has previously been developed in some way and is no longer virgin soil may offer possibilities, with some self-builders buying land belonging to petrol filling stations, electricity transformers and the like, on which to build. But beware: such plots might prove to be contaminated.

Conversion

If building land is hard to locate in your area then converting an existing agricultural or industrial building might be the answer. From shops and warehouses to churches and barns, there are numerous opportunities to create individual homes within an existing building, with such conversions now benefiting from VAT refunds in the same way as self-builds.

What to look for

Buying building land is expensive and an expert opinion from a professional should be sought. Severely sloping land will usually prove more expensive to build on, and soil conditions make all the difference when it comes to foundations.

Overgrown plots can prove deceptive and it is important to double- check boundaries, with a solicitor conducting searches and investigations.

There are preliminary checks which you can make and which may save both time and money. By looking at the local planning register you can discover any recent or current applications and any past consents or refusals.

Confirm that suitable access exists and whether any mature trees would need to be felled in order to build on the land.

Finally, find out if the plot offers value for money before wading in with an offer.

Insurance

Once you have located your plot of land and contracts have been exchanged, it is legally your responsibility and should be covered by an insurance policy. With premiums costing a few hundred pounds, tailor-made selfbuild insurance packages can cover most eventualities.

This article appears in the February edition of SelfBuild & Design.

Big idea: small London plot

WHEN architectural and design consultants Powell Tuck Associates (020 8747 9988) bought a 15mx15m back-land site from Wandsworth Council the company had big ideas for the small piece of land.

Set behind a row of terraced houses, and with a primary school at the rear, the land is approached by an alleyway between two of the houses.

"The planners were concerned about overlooking the gardens of the terraced houses, so we made small windows at high level and then dropped daylight in from above," says the company's Julian Powell- Tuck.

The house (above) is simply constructed in brick and rendered blockwork, which makes it cool in summer and warm in winter. It provides affordable space with a good direct relation to the garden and plenty of daylight which is at a premium in a typically small London setting.

'Making way for two new family homes'

WITH limited land availability timber frame suppliers Potton Homes (01767 263300) advise self-builders to buy a rundown property, knock it down and start again.

Brothers Doug and Graham Stewart, from Bedfordshire, demolished their mother's 1947 house to make way for two new family homes.

The Caxton and Gamlingay designs from Potton's Tudor style Heritage range cost 120,000 each to build, but were valued at 300,000 once they were finished.

"Planning permission was initially turned down on the grounds that the plot would look too cramped," says Doug.

"But having modified the designs and arranged them in a T shape, permission was granted and the results have been applauded by the local parish council."

Contacts Black Horse Agencies New Homes and Land (01932 868316)

Commission for the New Towns: for Milton Keynes, Corby, Peterborough, Nothampton (01908 696300) for Telford (01952 29313) for Runcorn, Warrington, Skelmersdale (01925 651144) for Basildon, Hatfield, Stevenage, Bracknell (0207 828 7722)

English Counties (01604 474414)

Fulfords Land & Planning Services (01392 214015)

General Accident Land and New Homes (01732 363633)

Halifax Property Services (01267 233111)

Homelands of England Ltd (01572 822111)

Landbank Services (0118 9626022) www.landbank.co.uk

Land Registers of Northern Ireland (01232 251515)

Ordnance Survey (08456 050505)

Royal and Sun Alliance Land and New Homes (01827 55100)

The Association of Self-builders (01604 493757)

The Land Registry (0207 9178888)

The National Land Finding Agency (01371 876875)

Trewern Projects (01453 544758) www.trewernprojects.co.uk

Virgin Plots (01638 555152) www.virginplots.com

If you would like to find out more about building your own home, SelfBuild and Design magazine will provide the answers to all your questions.

The magazine features case studies and experiences of other self builders, plot information, advice and inspiration. Informed articles will guide you through all aspects of building your own home from finding a plot or property for conversion to interior design.

A 12-month subscription is 33, but Homes & Property readers can take advantage of a six-month trial subscription for 9.99. Send cheques to SelfBuild & Design, Waterways World Ltd, The Well House, High Street, Burton on Trent, Staffs, DE14 1JQ or call 01283 742970

Copyright 2001
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.