The Self-Build Guide Part 5
When it comes to purchasing building land, it’s not always as straightforward as it seems. Not all land is viable as a building plot.
However, when you have found your potential building plot, you need to be really ruthless with your assessment of whether it is suitable for your self-build project. So, what do you need to look for?
Access
Good access is imperative. This will be a condition of any planning application so you must ensure that the access meets current highway standards. Will your new-build impact on highway safety? Is the visibility acceptable? How many dwellings does your access serve? Advice on access through highways consultants or planning specialists like CB homes is also worth knowing before making an offer for a plot.
Water, water everywhere?
Ground conditions need careful investigation and planning for as these can really impede or push costs up on your build. The two main areas are;
Surface water: it’s important to make sure that you understand hierarchy for surface water discharge. Discharge to soakaways is usually the preferred method. Is the ground capable of draining away at the required rates? If not, are there any accessible water courses nearby? Are there any surface water or combined sewers that are accessible? All possible solutions will require permits by the relevant authorities so ensure that you have this checked off before any commitment. Rainwater harvesting systems are becoming a popular and sustainable choice and are definitely worth considering too.
Foundations: we have a saying that until you are out of the ground with any project you need to expect the worse. That is why thorough due diligence of the ground before embarking on a project is well worth the time and energy expended. What foundations have you planned for your project? Will the ground conditions be viable for this? The foundations will have to pass building regulations and warranty providers so make sure you know the requirements for that specific ground condition.
Utilities
Your preferred plot may be far removed from necessary utilities. This isn’t just mains sewerage and gas but also electricity, water and phone/ internet services.
If you are interested in a replacement building plot then it is highly likely that re-connecting these services will be easy to do. However, if you are breaking new ground, even if it is not remotely located, you must consider how you are going to access utilities and find out how much it’s going to cost. You should do this as soon as you can. Remember that your self-build project will be a lot more straightforward if you have power and water on-site from the start.
Many plots will be near enough to a water main to make connection straightforward. If connecting to mains water isn’t practical, then drilling a borehole could be the best solution.
When it comes to sewerage, if there’s more than a couple of hundred metres to cover, it may make more financial sense to look at installing a treatment plant.
Facing one or more of these challenges need not be a deal breaker but before taking the plunge with your self-build, you need to understand the scope of works that may be necessary to undertake and what costs will be involved so you can tailor your budget accordingly.
Any objections?
Always investigate to find out if there are likely to be objections made to your building before you go in for planning. Are there acceptable privacy distances between you and your nearest neighbours? Could you be causing a loss of light to them? Your development will be deemed unsuitable for the plot if what you plan to build there will overshadow a neighbour, causing loss of light, or overlooking issues.
Find out if planning permission has been sought for the plot before. If it was refused, investigate on what grounds. It might be perfectly possible to work around the problem.
Are there any local restrictions in place that could prevent you from building what you want? A tree with a protection order on it located where you want your house to be built could present an insurmountable problem or an issue with foundations.
Protected land
Land that is dedicated as protected can be defined as ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees and land with protected areas and wildlife in the vicinity. You’ll need to check if your proposed development is on, or might affect, an internationally or European protected site, a nationally protected site, a locally protected site or a protected area.
It is also recommended to check land titles and plans to make sure there are no restrictions in place which prevent any development. Land titles are easily available from land registry and it is always worth taking legal advice if unsure.
Animal rights?
The presence of particular wildlife doesn’t automatically prevent development, but you can get advice from Natural England on planning proposals that will require a protected species mitigation licence. The organisation offers a pre-submission screening service so you can get advice on planning and development proposals which might affect European or nationally protected species, before planning permission is secured.
Remember that the above are just preliminary searches that we advise should be undertaken. There are many more items involved with plot due diligence and it is always worth seeking the advice of a professional before committing to a plot.
CB Homes can offer you help every step of the way with your self-build project, including free planning and pre-construction advice. Talk to us to find out more.
