BUILDING PLOTS ASSESSING POTENTIAL
Finding a suitable plot for your self build can be a time-consuming process. Martin Gaine looks at how to work out the potential of a site
Above: A large rear garden could be the perfect candidate for a new build house
When it comes to finding a viable plot, one of the most challenging aspects is working out whether it can be developed – nobody wants to spend their life savings on a parcel of land only to discover that they cannot, in fact, build their dream home on it.
Your solicitor will carry out all the usual checks to ensure a plot has the correct legal title and inform you of any covenants or complications. The biggest challenge is often the planning permission – if a site already has it, you must be sure it is reliable, and if not, you should be confident that you can get consent to build.
If permission has been grantedS
Solicitors are not planning experts and will usually simply report any details that the seller has provided or that have been turned up by the local authority search. It is great to have planning permission in place, but you must check that it is useful to you. If it is outline consent, you will still need to apply for reserved matters to sort out the final details of exactly what you want to build. Scrutinise the council’s decision