Local Authorities & Planners Land and market assessments Include demand for self-provided housing types in Strategic Housing Market Assessments (SHMAs) and Strategic Housing Land Area Assessments (SHLAAs), so that land can be allocated proportionately to its market share, as advocated by the Office for Fair Trading. 1f Page 62 Public land disposal In the interests of achieving the best public value outcomes, local authorities should consider making sites or plots for self-provided housing a standard component of all public land disposals. This might include slow ‘geared’ land purchase, rather than single one-off payment. Even where there may be a disparity between the financial yield offered by self-provision and conventional market purchase, an evidenced case should be sought and put forward that the disparity be considered a form of investment in place-making outcomes (this might be guaranteed, for example, by the formation of a CLT). 1d Page 61 Section 106 and CIL Where small self-provided housing schemes need support, local authorities should consider exemption from external Affordable Housing contribution or CIL. Alternatively, they can make this easier for selfproviders to finance by deferring CIL payments until after completion. Use of public land Seek to design legal arrangements and contracts allowing licensing of public land, which may include rents geared up over time with the resident’s ability to pay. 1e Page 61 Land through planning conditions Seek legal and professional advice on the capacity to make land (and / or infrastructure) for self-provision models (including self-finish) part of a Section 106 planning requirement on large sites for private development. 1b Page 60
PRIVATE SECTOR LANDOWNERS, CONTRACTORS, CONSULTANTS & MANUFACTURERS Self-provided plots as ‘seed’ development Develop business models which use plot-promotion on part or all of sites as a means to catalyse placemaking and de-risk the initial phases of development, or to shift from short to long-term revenues. 1a Page 60 Take out market risk Seek to partner with local authorities and self-providing groups to deliver houses, effectively as a form of pre-sales. This will require new ways of working for users who are leading projects, and new ways of eliminating risk. 2b Page 72 Innovation Innovate to capitalise on the latent-desire to self-provide by designing processes and products which makes self-provision easier, less risky and more sustainable. Design-in capacity for the investment of user ‘sweat equity’ where appropriate. This may include sharing risk for fees at the initial stages of a project. 2e Page 73 3c 3d Page 80 Communication The shift towards a mass-micro operating model means communicating with non-professionals as much as professionals, without ‘dumbing down’ the full complexity of options or reverting to a ‘consultation’ mindset. Clear user-facing interfaces of all kinds, throughout the process are required to allow self-providers to make informed decisions. 5d Page 97 153