If you’ve decided to take the plunge and build your own house, it can seem daunting in the early stages when there are endless decisions to be made. When settling on a plot of land to build on, there are a number of crucial factors you should consider.
At Aspire, we know the luxury property development and build process inside out, having created hundreds of quality homes over the years. So, we’ve created this guide to help you navigate the earliest stages of building a house from the ground up. Read on to get started.
Where to look for plots of land?
When looking for a suitable plot of land to build on, there are numerous options. Aside from just trawling the internet, the following points are all viable methods of finding the right plot for you.
1. Local estate/land agents
Seeing what your local estate agents (or, more specifically, land agents) have to offer is an excellent first port of call. As well as looking in their windows and on their websites, you could also ring them and register with them. Why? Because they usually find out about plots early and can recommend them to you before they even appear on the market officially.
2. Auctions
Another great way of finding plots of land is through land and property auctions. At auctions, you can find a mixed bag of land for large-scale developments or just plots suitable for individual houses. Nowadays, auctions tend to be conducted online for convenience and speed (see, for example, Allsop and Savills), so you can browse for your plot from the comfort of your own home.
3. Plot-finding sites
Plot-finding websites are another online method. Often extremely comprehensive and detailed, websites such as PlotSearch, PlotBrowser, and PlotFinder have thousands of unique listings across the UK.
These kinds of websites — many of which are now apps that you can download onto your smartphone — allow for a greater specificity in your search through the use of filters. You can filter by location, size, type, and more.
4. By exploring the area you like
This one requires a little more effort on your part, but the pay-off tends to be much more fulfilling. Once you know the area you’re interested in, who’s to say you can’t visit there and explore it? Driving, walking, or cycling around an area you like the look of may result in some interesting opportunities presenting themselves. For example, you may come across a disused garage block or an infill site.
5. Get involved in the community
Similarly, while exploring your desired area, it is also a good idea to get involved with the local community and ask about potential plots. This can be done in-person or online via residents groups on Facebook.
Word-of-mouth is an often under-appreciated method of discovering plots of land, but usually the most lucrative as some of the best plots often get taken before they even reach the market.
6. Look into serviced plots
As an alternative option to regular plots, you may want to look into ‘serviced plots’. These are plots with the legwork done already — that is, a specialist developer, landowner, or the council encourages the creation of new homes on plots of land by including services such as electricity, water, and drainage.
This is an increasingly popular plot type for custom-builds across the UK. If you’re looking for a quick build with minimum hassle, that allows you to focus more on the structure and interiors of a property, serviced plots are the options for you. Speaking of the different types of plot, let’s go into more detail about the types of land on the market.
What are the different types of land plot?
There are multiple different types of land plot available across the UK, each with their own set of benefits and characteristics.
1. Brownfield land
Brownfield sites refer to plots of land that have previously been developed. These sites are excellent as the government and local councils are keen to approve plans for this type of plot and they are relatively affordable too. What’s more, it is likely that services will already be in place here. Though, you will need to apply for a change of use and certain restrictions may come into play (such as remaining consistent with the previous building’s size).
Since brownfield land is a site of previous development, you may well have to buy to demolish and stay in keeping with ‘Brownfield Registers’, a record that new legislation specifies local councils have to keep.
Garden plots
In recent years, the category of ‘Brownfield land’ was extended to also include domestic gardens. This strategic use of garden space creates scope for extensions and new small-scale developments to be placed in more built-up areas.
2. Greenfield land
On the other side of the same coin is Greenfield land. This type of land has not been built on before and can take the form of:
- Fields
- Wooded areas
- Village outskirts
- Gaps between houses in rural areas
Although the surrounding areas are likely to be much more picturesque with a Greenfield site, it is much more difficult to obtain planning permission due to factors such as the ‘Green Belt’.
It is uncommon to be granted permission for an entirely new home to be built on this type of land. Extensions and buy-to-demolish schemes are much more likely here.
3. Buy to demolish
Another popular method of obtaining a plot of land is through a buy-to-demolish scheme. If an old or run-down property sits on a site — one that would cost a great amount of money to renovate — you can apply to ‘buy to demolish’ it. This works out well for lots of buyers as the cost of demolition fees is usually much cheaper than the extravagant costs associated with heavy-duty renovation.
One of the downsides of this method of obtaining land is the waste. Lots of waste is generated by demolishing a property — no matter what condition it is in. However, a viable solution is to sell on any materials that you can salvage or re-use them in another project.
Lastly, it is worth checking whether you have to stick to the previous property’s footprint and height here too.
What to look for in a plot of land?
Once you’ve started looking and considering the type of land that would best suit you, it’s time to settle on an actual physical plot. When doing so, you might like to ask yourself the following questions:
Size & shape
- Is the plot big enough for the property and a garden?
- Have you considered where the garden will fit around the property?
- Is there room for garages, swimming pools, sauna buildings, and any other facilities you’d like to install?
- Is there room for potential expansion in the future?
- Are there any other opportunities on this site? (e.g. for outbuildings)
Location & amenities
- Are there local amenities nearby such as a supermarket, a post office, and a petrol station?
- If you have (or plan to have) children, are there good schools nearby?
- Are the transport links to this area good or does it feel isolated?
- What is the general feel of the neighbourhood? Are there things to do in the surrounding area (think golf courses, gyms, spas, and restaurants)?
- What is the crime rate for the area?
Planning permission
Would you consider buying a plot that does not yet have planning permission or the type of planning permission that you want?
There are two types of planning consent to consider:
- OPP: Outline Planning Permission which allows for a development to occur without needing you to specify details, meaning you can introduce your own plans.
- DPP: Detailed Planning Permission which has all the particulars specified and approved. This means that a specific building has already had the go-ahead here and, to some extent, you are required to uphold this design. That being said, you can always submit a new application for a different design but it just takes longer.
Aspire Luxury Properties
Here at Aspire, we’re the experts when it comes to choosing and developing land. You can see our successful recent developments for yourself here. Or, get inspiration for your project over on our blog.In the meantime, if you have any questions about building homes or developing property, get in touch with our friendly team.
