A great time to start building

from Abode Issue 03 - 2021

Gardens showcase

Why 2021 is a great time to get started on your self build

If you dream of building your own home the future’s never looked better. In March, the long-term housing strategy Housing to 2040 clearly set out Scotland’s ambition to support more people to self build, with self-provided housing, including custom and self build, featuring prominently.

And the great news is that it makes direct reference to the interest that young people have in self building as a route to home ownership. This is especially so in rural and island communities, where self building has a valuable role in encouraging them to remain in, or return to, the communities that nurtured them.

While Scotland has long had a tradition of people building for themselves, access to finance has been a barrier that prevented many from getting started, so it’s also great news that Scotland’s Self-Build Loan Fund has been extended another year to 2022, giving more people a route to funding

The Self Build Portal If you’re not sure what the difference between custom and self build is, or even where to start planning a project, check out the Self Build Portal, the consumer website of the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA).

Free to access, it’s a great resource for anyone wishing to build, as it helps you understand a variety issues, giving you help and advice about the steps to creating your own home from scratch. It also shares the latest news about the sector, including projects, and case studies to inspire you.

NaCSBA is a member organisation, with all members signing up to its Code of Practice. This means that choosing a NACSBA member for your own project brings peace of mind that the organisation is a trusted operator in self build, whether they are a timber-frame manufacturer or window company. Find members on the Self Build Portal’s directory.

NaCSBA works to share the benefits of custom and self build with government’s across the UK. It welcomed the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, which included the provision for local authorities to prepare and maintain lists of people wanting to self build – something English councils have to do by law since 2016. The next stage for Scotland will be secondary legislation or guidance that sets out how authorities must manage these lists, and this will help ensure that planning authorities are aware of your desire to build.

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