More land to be offered to 'Grand Designs' self-builders of the future in East Yorkshire

East Riding Council is proposing a new policy to make much more land available for people wanting to build their own homes or choose one from a catalogue.

The council is updating its local plan – a blueprint which steers development in the area up to 2039.

If agreed, five per cent of all plots on any development over 20 dwellings will be made available for self or custom builders.

It follows a report in 2021 by Norfolk MP Richard Bacon who said around 13,000 self-build and custom homes are built every year, but there is demand for at least 30,000.

Mr Bacon said the country was failing to build “the listed houses of tomorrow” and there was “a sterile sameness almost everywhere we look” with houses “designed by accountants”.

He said self-commissioned homes “are better built, greener, longer lasting, and more beautiful than the products of the largest housebuilders.”

The Government has since introduced a range of measures including financial help for self builders.

Nicola Sworowski, the East Riding Council’s forward planning, housing strategy and development manager, said suitable plots would be marketed to people on a register the council keeps.

Currently, however, there are just 62 on the East Riding self build register – out of a population of 330,000. She said: “It’s allowing people a mix of housing – needs are different.”

The policy won’t be applied until the plan gets “adopted” – which won’t be until 2024.