Despite a tough operating year due to the pandemic, NaCSBA’s Review of the Year reflects a transformative year for custom and self build.
Read the full NaCSBA’s Review of the Year 2020
Here’s a few of the highlights:
The year started off with the mixed news that tracking the Right to Build revealed, that many councils were using a series of ‘dirty tricks’ to limit people signing up to the Right to Build.
COVID19 changed the world as we know it, but NaCSBA produced guidance to ensure people could remain operating safely on site. Out of adversity came triumph with Zoom transforming how we engage with our members, with a now regular series of online meetings and updates.
NaCSBA set up a new Housing Diversification group with the Federation of Master Builders (which represents SME housebuilders) and community led housing groups the UK Cohousing Network and the National Community Land Trust Network. Together, these parties are working with government to boost housing via the range of routes we represent.
Planning reform also featured highly, with the Planning for the Future White Paper setting out a new vision for how we build in England.
NaCSBA’s also conducted research with the Building Societies Association, which showed that a third of all UK adults are interested in self building at some point in the future, evidence reflected by an earlier survey in March and an independent survey by the Ipswich Building Society.
The Right to Build Task Force also had a strong year – with funding from MHCLG supporting its work to contact each English council, and a new, stripped back website to share its work. Plus it published the first of its suite of Planning Guidance for Custom and Self Build.
A great start to 2021
The year culminated in the announcement of a new Help to Build Equity Loan scheme for the sector, which looks set to provide a solid foundation for the new year.
NaCSBA has started January with a suite of work to build on these changes, with a focus on planning reform and shaping the Help to Build to ensure it works effectively and efficiently, and genuinely helps more people access a home that reflects their needs and wants.
Image: the statistic is taken from our recent 2020 research into Self Build Aspirations, available in the library
