Mario Wolf Director, Right to Build Task Force

About the Right to Build Task Force Launched February 2017 by NaCSBA (Director joined in June) Supported by the Nationwide Foundation for 3 years (then self financing) Established to support local authorities and other organisations across the UK to deliver large, affordable Custom and Self Build housing projects Supports objective to deliver 20,000+ Custom and Self Build homes per year by 2020, to give more people the choice to have an affordable that fully meets their needs Supported in Housing White Paper (Ministers have praised our work so far) Overseen by Board which includes representatives from NaCSBA, Homes England, NHF, LGA, RICS and RTPI

THE TASK FORCE Task Force Director and Panel of Experts More Experts being appointed to Panel as projects secured

AMBASSADORS Champions of the Task Force at political and community level

The Right to Build sets the framework for our work New duty on Councils since April 2016 Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015: keep and publicise a Register of people who want to self/custom build in their area; have regard to Register when exercising planning, housing, land disposal, regeneration functions Housing and Planning Act 2016: amends/supplements Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 duty on Councils to meet demand on Register by granting development permissions for enough serviced plots to meet demand on rolling annual basis (three years to deliver) defines what Custom and Self Build homes are and what a serviced plot is Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations 2016 Self-build and Custom Housebuilding (Time for Compliance and Fees) Regulations 2016

Types of organisations and projects we support Local authorities, community organisations/groups, housing associations, devolved administrations, other public sector bodies (across UK) Focus on delivering more affordable/lower cost Custom and Self build homes Priority given to projects delivering more homes at scale, or initiatives that can be replicated- which broadly means: 100+ homes for local authority/private sector projects 30+ homes for community organisations or group projects Projects need strong support/backing from senior local politicians Target to support 80 organisations by end of 2019

Task Force progress so far Interest high- steady stream of enquiries (120+ enquiries so far) Main interest from garden village promoters, councils with ambitious delivery plans and private landowners, enablers Support already given to range of high profile projects Range of further commissions now being finalised, including from garden villages Presence at conferences and events nationally and pushing messages through media Established strong links with Dutch Government and their Expert team Rebranded the Custom and Self Build Toolkit as the Right to Build Toolkit

Expo programme 2018 South West (Exeter), 8 March CONFIRMED London (Greater London Authority), 6 April CONFIRMED West Midlands/North West, May Scotland, June North East, July East, September South West, October South East, October Yorkshire/Humber, November Wales, Autumn/Winter Northern Ireland, early 2019

How does the Task Force work? SUBMIT EXPRESSION OF INTEREST INITIAL DISCUSSION WITH TASK FORCE DIRECTOR PROPOSAL PREPARED AND PROJECT BRIEF AGREED QUALIFIED TASK FORCE EXPERT APPOINTED TO MATCH NEEDS WORK UNDERTAKEN TO AGREED MILESTONES

Strategic Planning Design Codes Serviced Plots Demand assessments Areas where Task Force can help Funding and viability Group projects Affordable housing Marketing and promotion Task Force does not act in an adversarial capacity (eg. appeals, local plan examinations)

How is support structured? Support normally limited to five days work per project (available over 6 months) Costs agreed between supported organisation and Task Force in advance Half the cost discounted by Task Force (thanks to support by the Nationwide Foundation) Typical rates 500 per day + VAT (50% discounted) More support can be provided (costs not discounted) Private sector priced on project basis, depending on individual needs (not discounted)

Examples of supported projects Aylesbury Woodlands (part of Garden Town) Buckinghamshire Advantage At least 165 plots on 1,100 home scheme (15%) Final quantum, mix, location still being considered

Examples of supported projects North Northamptonshire Advice on opportunities to secure Custom and Self Build housing at Tresham Garden Village and elsewhere, including the 6 sustainable urban extensions of 20,000 homes

Examples of other supported organisations Basingstoke and Deane Council (advice on SPD) Potton (advice on Custom Build affordable housing delivery models) Cornwall Council (workshop with senior Council officers) Warrington Council (workshop with Development Company and enablers in association with the LEP) Range of other projects in process of being agreed, including garden villages

Starting to support collective (group) projects

Securing a Task Force Legacy Legacy Strategy in development to ensure Task Force exists post 2019- range of initiatives being considered and developed New Demand Assessment Tool in development, in association with Three Dragons Focussed training courses to local authorities, practitioners and community groups Seeking other funding sources in association with NaCSBA (including the Government s Community Housing Fund) Toolkit comprehensively updated to provide more information and give more benefits for NaCSBA members (including Local Authorities)

Evolution of our Toolkit www.righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk

Facilitating visits to projects in the UK and abroad

Showcasing what works and how it is delivered is central to our work

Opportunities in garden towns and villages, on larger sites to diversify offer, or smaller sites on edge of urban areas, or exception sites

Mixed approaches on larger sites Freiburg City Council Building groups as development partners. International model of best practice www.righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk

Custom Build enabled models www.righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk

Affordable housing policy compliant models Community Land Trusts Discount market sale Shared ownership Affordable and social rent Opportunities on exception sites or as part of affordable housing mix on larger sites www.righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk

Neighbourhood planning opportunities Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan Allocation for 112 Custom and Self Build homes 11 homes 101 homes

Delivery challenges for our projects Estimating demand Deciding on mix and type of projects to support Finding delivery partners/enablers Locational considerations on larger sites Viability considerations (which model fits best) Scope and delivery of design codes Managing build Delivering affordable housing Winning hearts and minds of landowners/larger developers Identifying suitable policy solutions to fit the local context

Risk of the local authority percentage policy

Wider delivery challenges we are tackling with NaCSBA Lack of LA knowledge and willingness to support Land supply held back by vague legislation/policy Legislation: Interpretation is forcing appeals (Councils counting all single home consents and replacements towards meeting local demand) Mixed inspector decisions (Inspectors require training) Fees, local connection tests and lack of Right to Build Register publicity suppress demand Most consumers still don t know about registers and that Custom and Self Build route is available

We are here to help, please contact us at: righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk taskforce@nacsba.org.uk https://www.righttobuildportal.org/news-events/