Promoting Self-Build

Promoting self-building

The circumstances of Brexit and Covid-19 contribute to the housing crisis as the economy struggles. Perhaps, large scale sustainability is not something that developers are pursuing due to profit restrictions. Self-building provides an affordable solution as profit margins, and marketing costs are absent. Therefore, presenting an opportunity to focus on quality, characterful homes rather than, ‘Boring’, pack them close stack them high approach. Retrospectively tackling the affordable housing crisis while providing a platform for local entrepreneurship to strive. Selfbuilding requires the engagement of many stakeholders, all of which should champion quality and sustainable creative design.

DR Matt Jones questioned stakeholder perceptions of future living in towns. Jones raised the question “what are the issues in creating sustainable and resilient smaller communities”(Jones, 2020)? Sustainable materials and construction methods become an easier sell once the process gathers momentum and materials become cheaper in their application. In order for this to materialise there needs to be economies of scale. A direct link to self-build which ultimately requires all stakeholders to accept change from traditional construction methods. Some limitations with developments lie with community acceptance and government strategies.

To change perceptions of self-building, a collaboration of councils and housing developers is required to implement self-build pilots. Scalability relies on engagement with the local community through workshops and national exhibitions. Generating community engagement would prevent mass rejection of self-built projects. Dense profit-driven domestic proposals are much less likely to be approved. If frequent rejection occurs, this only adds to the housing deficit. Access to vacant land is the biggest constraint, and government intervention is required.

Diverse housing streets

Terraced Housing Social Hosing

Apartments Passivhaus Family Home

Self Build Modular Self Build Modular Experimental House Self Build Off-site Prefabrication Experimental House Modular

Fig.8