Clubbing together with other prospective self builders to create your new homes on one site could save you money on plots and construction. Planning consultant Julia Riddle looks at how this approach works

The Older Women’s Co Housing (OWCH) project was born after Maria Brenton ran a workshop in London about cohousing communities, interested in the subject of getting together at an older age to promote healthy and active lives.

Group self build is where a collective of people come together with the aim of creating their own homes at one site. The group might have formed for a range of reasons, but potentially because they are likeminded individuals or they share mutual interests. Sometimes they have a geographic connection and want to find an affordable way of staying in a town or village, which might otherwise be unachievable.

The group might be created in a formal manner, with relationships and responsibilities clearly agreed and set out. Alternatively, there may be an informal arrangement, where individuals do not share responsibilities across the site, but each take their own plot forward.

What are the benefits?

This route has advantages both to self builders and more widely to the local community and economy. If you’re looking to create a new home, pursuit of development as a group can help with accessibility to sites and opportunities that might not be achievable by individuals. The networking and knowledge of the collective together can also help with finding and securing appropriate land.