Decision details

In March 2022 the council Executive approved the recommendation to enter into a construction contract with Caddick Construction to deliver the Burnholme Green scheme in accordance with the approved planning application 20/01916/OUTM. This planning approval contained, as noted in the report to the executive, 5 self-build plots named as Terrace 5. As part of the construction contract, Caddick Construction were required to level the site and bring services up to the boundary of the self-build land.

Following learnings from Lowfield Green, the decision had been made not to allow any self-builders to start on site until the main contractor had finished the main site. During construction of the main development, the council was approached by a custom build developer with an offer for the land that detailed a proposal to deliver 7 custom build homes. This offer was within the RICS valuation for the land with the added benefits of delivering 2 additional dwellings. As well as giving residents of York the new opportunity to customise and shape their own home, the singular and coordinated nature of a custom build development on this extremely constrained site also has advantages for the new residents of the Burnholme Green.

This solution meets the intended outcome of securing a development that delivers truly custom-built homes to ensure that the dwellings can be counted as self or custom build under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016). The councils self-build register currently has 881 individuals registered as wanting to design and build their own home in York with only 181 self-build planning permissions having been granted since 2016.

While this delivery model does reduce the choice available to the self-builders, a survey sent out to those on the self-build register revealed that there was considerable appetite for this type of custom build development. With the legislation accepting that the self and custom build spectrum is broad, it is felt that a custom-build solution will enhance York’s offer and is better suited to this site.

This decision proposed is to accept the offer for Terrace 5 at Burnholme Green from a custom build developer and have contracts drawn up and proceed to the exchange of contracts, and completion under the terms of the contract.

1) To accept the offer for Terrace 5 at Burnholme Green from a custom build developer and have contracts drawn up and proceed to the exchange of contracts, and completion under the terms of the contract.

2) Sell the plots of individually to self-builders to design and build their own homes on the Burnholme Green development.

Option 2 was rejected.

While we know this delivery model works, especially with the changes made following our Lowfield Green review, it does still have some challenges including some over and above what was experienced on Lowfield Green due to specific site constraints as detailed below.

While at Lowfield Green we had the space to provide a separate set down area for the self-builders to store materials and to park, this won’t be the case on Burnholme Green as the self-build plots are situated opposite a completed terraced street.

Due to the low-car parking nature of the site, none of the self-build plots would have driveways, which further reduces on-plot space for parking and storage and with the terrace opposite being occupied at the point where self-build construction begins, there is significant potential to cause complexities to ensure the workers and residents stay safe and in terms of potential complaints from neighbours living in the newly constructed homes, with 5 constrained neighbouring sites being built out in parallel.

The lack of parking and storage will likely increase with multiple contractors working across the 5 plots. With the compact nature of this site it would be important to have someone coordinating the logistics of deliveries, cranes, and waste removal.

Selling the plots to five individual self-builders will be significantly more resource intensive for the council as the councils Community and Self-build Officer will need to liaise with 5 individuals rather than having a single point of contact. Additional legal resource would also be required to prepare and draft 5 individual sales contracts and transfer documents. Supporting 5 individuals who have never built a house before through the planning process as proved to be resource intensive.

Less homes would be delivered.