Petersfield Neighbourhood Development Plan was an early example of a neighbourhood plan promoting custom and self build, with one of its two site allocations now progressing to reserved matters stage as a development for self build homes.
The site at Reservoir Lane has outline planning permission for ten homes which are being facilitated by Petersfield Community Land Trust (CLT) under project manager Leila Ferraby of Bauelements. The emerging development is a demonstration of what Neighbourhood Plans can deliver for local people.
The self builders are required to be Petersfield Community Land Trust members, with membership of the CLT reserved for people with a local connection who support the aims of the trust.
The CLT is expected to bring five self build plots to the open market for buyers with a local connection, three self build plots for discount market purchase, available to means tested buyers with a local connection, and two for affordable rent – depending on securing a registered provider to take the CLT developed units on.
The Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan makes an important link between private housing and a more affordable route to self building a home. The discounted self build plots will be sold at a maximum of 70% open market rate, with the same discount being applied to any futures resales of the built-out homes in perpetuity.
Pre-development funding at Reservoir Lane has come from a number of sources including the Community Housing Fund (now closed).
About the Neighbourhood Plan
Running from 2013-2028, the two sites in the Petersfield Neighbourhood Development Plan have the potential to delivery roughly 110 homes, with the allocations ring fenced for custom and self build.
The plan states that self build homes are “likely to cost less than the market equivalent and the dwellings that are built will tend to be better quality with more innovative architecture than a standard developer’s offering.”
Read the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan
NaCSBA finalist
Leila Ferraby, founder of Bauelements, has been an intrinsic part of the Petersfield Community Land Trust, having been founding director and chair at different points, prior to her involvement as project manager.
Ferraby was a finalist of NaCSBA’s Self Build on a Shoestring competition in 2015, for a panelised modular home design starting from £40,000, with the potential to extend at later points.
A place on the podium was the catalyst that led to her interest in self build, her involvement in the founding of the Petersfield CLT, where she has served a crucial role in the securing of pre-development grants over a number of years to support the trust whilst working with the directors to bring forwards the CLT’s vision for the site.
Ferraby said, “A clear vision, funding, a dedicated board of directors and a secure interest in a site are the elements have been key to the progress at Reservoir Lane so far.
“The board in Petersfield is motivated to facilitate self build opportunities for local people to build their own homes. We are seeking to maximise the number of discounted in perpetuity plots and therefore eventual homes available locally.
“We are also working in partnership with the Rural Communities Energy Fund* to support the prioritisation of early, strategic low carbon homebuilding choices by self builders. We hope that the Reservoir Lane development will be considered a flagship demonstrator in years to come – an example of the kind of community led development that a neighbourhood development plan can feed into.”
*(now closed to new bids)
Image credit: Big Ladder Photography; Site Plan by Reformat Architects
