Improving Opportunities through self/custom build to provide home ownership in the South East of the UK

This research investigates by an in depth literature review the current position for first time buyers in the difficult Housing Market in the South East of the UK. It identifies the desire for home ownership yet confirms many problems with the lack of housing supply, the lack of affordability and issues with land and planning. It goes on to explore encouragement of self/custom house building by professionals and by government with the Self-Build and Customhouse Building Act 2015 the emerging markets, the key risks and risk mitigation strategies. Research is then carried out in the form of a desk top study to identify which UK local authorities appear to be the most supportive of prospective developers of self/custom building and then through the use of 3 targeted case studies and interviews recommendations are made that more support is required in the form of support from local authorities to provide information, assistance to find land plots, the provision of dedicated self planning officers a shared database for information and the provision of serviced plots to improve the opportunities for self build in the residential