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A Government minister has called for more councils to help aspiring self-builders by locating land for them.
Speaking at the exhibition Grand Designs Live, Planning Minister Nick Boles praised efforts of Bristol City Council which has promised to make public land available for self-builders in the area.
The UK currently has the lowest level of self build homes in Europe, with self-built properties accounting for more than 80% of homes in Austria and over 50% in Germany and Belgium.
He said: “We urgently need to build more homes and now is the time for councils to act and earmark areas that encourage people to buy a plot of land and get a builder to build them a home.
“We are determined to help families fulfil their dream of building their own home and are keen to work with the industry to showcase those councils leading the way in making specific sites available for self build, so aspiring homeowners can turn their plans into a reality.”
