Prospective self and custom builders will be able to register their interest with the local council, who must offer suitable serviced plots for sale at market value.
Recent research by Ipsos MORI has revealed that over one million people are looking to build their own home yet the biggest barrier is finding a suitable plot.
Consequently self-build currently accounts for just one in 10 new homes in the UK, compared to 60% in Germany, France and Italy and 80% in Austria.
Nick Boles said: “I believe that government should help anyone who wants to build their own home to find a plot of land to build on.
“That’s why we want to give people a Right to Build so anyone looking for a shovel-ready plot can turn to their local council and expect them to suggest some suitable sites.
“Building your own home (with or without the help of a local architect and builder) can be much cheaper than buying a new home and offers people the change to design a place that works for them and their family.
“Becoming a Right to Build vanguard offers councils a way to help local people get a place to live which is designed and built locally.”
The Right to Build measure follows the introduction of a £150m investment fund for 10,000 ‘serviced plots’; shovel-ready sites where a developer can be hired and also a £30m Custom Build Homes Fund, which makes repayable finance available for multi-unit projects and grant funding for community self-builders.
