Find us a plot in Derbyshire for £70,000

"I'm asking you to please, please, please help us to find a plot of land within commuting distance of Chesterfield," writes Velma Scott. "I really am desperate and in danger of losing my mind, my friends and my family. I'm obsessed with the idea of finding a decent plot of land to build my dream house." These are familiar sentiments and ones frequently expressed in the letters would-be self-builders write to Plotfinder Challenge.

Plothunters' Details

Name: Kevin Skinsley & Velma Scott
Area: 30 miles radius of Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Max Plot Price: £70,000
Max Build Cost: £90,000
Total Budget: £160,000

In common with many of the writers, its often one partner that is the driving influence behind the idea of self-building in the first place. Certainly in Velma's case, her partner Kevin has, at times, felt himself inexorably dragged along by her enthusiasm as weekends are taken up with the pursuit of plots and the knowledge to be gained about self-building at exhibitions and shows.

"It has all rubbed off on me, of course," he cheerfully admits. "If anything, I'm now as keen, if not more so, than Velma and have started to ask friends and colleagues and look around for plots as I travel in my job as a Community Development Worker."

This asking around may indeed pay off. Velma too, in her capacity as manager of an African Caribbean Community Association and Centre, has already been tipped off about a few plots, some of which we looked at and decided were well worthy of future investigation although not to be reported upon in this forum.

Chesterfield, and many of the local authorities in the surrounding area, were pioneers of the idea and the ethos of self-build in the 1970s and 1980s, releasing large numbers of serviced plots onto the market. Then it all began to dry up but it left them with a legacy that probably puts the proportion of self-built properties in this corner of Derbyshire up amongst the highest concentrations in the land.

We went to see seven plots in all. Here is how I assessed their development potential and what Kevin and Velma made of them.

Option One: Plots at the Royal Oak, Bolsover Road, Mastin Moor, Derbyshire. 35,000 per plot.

The Expert's opinion: These plots were on the market for £45,000 each but I got a letter the day we went to see them telling me that they had been reduced to £35,000 each for a rapid sale or £145,000 for all five. The sad thing is that the price has obviously been reduced because they're not selling. Yet they're not bad plots: its all down to their presentation, which is awful. Why don't people take the trouble to present plots in the same way as they would a house they want to sell?

You wouldn't expect to sell your home for a good price if half of the land was covered in litter. You wouldn't expect many people to be impressed with a derelict public house, its windows broken and boarded, its cream coloured render daubed in red with obscene graffiti. Just a little care and some demolition, the cost of which could well be covered by the salvage, would have made it very much more attractive.

The planning is for five plots, three of which, backing onto the road and facing into the proposed cul-de-sac, are fairly modest. Two of them, however - one backing onto the road at the head of the proposed access and one overlooking the open countryside - seemed to be quite respectable. But what were the economics? If Kevin and Velma built a fairly standard house with an integral garage of about 150m² and managed subcontractors then, at £500/m², that would mean building costs of £75,000. Added to the land that would mean a grand total of £110,000 well within their budget but right up with the value: there would be nothing in it for them. What worried me, however, was the fact that many of the conditions on the planning approval related to the access, the creation of separate systems for foul and surface water drainage and the provision of a central parking and turning area. If the plots were sold off separately or, worse still, some remained unsold, who would be responsible for seeing that this work got carried out, especially as the houses could not be occupied until it was completed? There were a lot of factors to be taken into consideration.

Our Plothunters opinion: We're not impressed. Its a nightmare road in the mornings and I wouldn't want the children to go to school around here, so I'd have to take them into Chesterfield. The outlook at the rear isn't so bad. What's going to happen to the partially derelict Methodist Hall next door? It would have been better if that had been joined in with the land and if it was cleared and marked out. The only reasonable plot is the one overlooking the open countryside, well away from the road. We could just about get the house we want on that one. I don't think we'd make any money on this plot. Its just not a good investment.

Option Two: Plot at Bolsover Hill, Bolsover, Derbyshire. Price 48,000.

The Expert's opinion: The District of Bolsover has quite a few plots and parcels of land for sale. Some of these are left over from their own developments and holdings but others are ones that they seem to have specifically identified for the purpose. On the day, we looked at several plots that they had on offer and, whilst Velma was at first reluctant to consider this one, when we got there the first time around, she was pleasantly surprised.

We thought that Bolsover Hill was the main road up and into town, and indeed it is, except that as it reaches a point just below the castle walls, it divides and the main road becomes Station Road whilst Bolsover Hill is set back on its own, as a one way street, approachable only from the top. This gives it an almost exclusive feeling. The plot is a large flat area of grass carved out from the hill with views to the front of both the castle and open countryside. To the back end of the land the ground rises up in a steep bank to where it joins the community orchard from which it has been carved. The property to the right hand boundary, looking in, is a medium sized bungalow whilst, to the left, there is a row of tiny terraced houses. Was this why the details on Plotfinder.net described it as three plots, subject to planning permission? Did the local authority, having designated the land as suitable for residential development, wish to see low cost housing on it?

The road sloped quite sharply at the frontage and entrance was only really feasible at the top end, so vehicular access would be limited to this point. I felt that this argued in favour of one house and that the site lent itself to a detached four bedroom home with a double garage. This neednt be larger than 150m² and that would mean that the costs could be kept to around £75,000. Added to the land that would mean a total cost of around £125,000 to set against a probable value of £145,000, so it would be worthwhile financially.

Our Plothunters opinion: Weird! Really weird! This one was definitely worth getting out of the car for. I really wasnt expecting this. Its quite nice. I love the view of the castle and the one to the open countryside. I like this. Its quite an exciting opportunity. I like the idea of a community orchard. There will be some overlooking from it but I wonder just how much that will affect us. Its quite a big plot. Maybe thats why the local authority suggested that it was three plots. But they would be tiny. At least the garden slopes up from the house rather than down. This time well see our own gardening efforts. It seems like a nice area and it seems friendly.

Option Three: Building plot at Manor Farm, Station Road, Pilsley, Chesterfield. Offers invited in the region of 30,000.

The Expert's opinion: The first bit of advice I give plothunters is to go and look at everything because sometimes they can be very pleasantly surprised. The second is to look at things as they are going to be and not as they are. Velma and Kevin had seen this before and discounted it because they couldn't quite understand the full extent and shape of the land and they found it next to nigh impossible to envisage how the land could be developed or what sort of house they could put on it. Maybe a lot of people have had the same problem, for this, the last of four plots, has certainly hung around for a while. Yet it was difficult to understand why. This is a great plot. The other three plots have been sold to self-builders who have all erected substantial houses with market values of approaching £175,000. If this plot could be developed in a way that was even remotely similar, the price was certainly very reasonable.

I could see the problem. The private road, that had been put in to hardcore only at this stage, spilt over and into the plot, confusing and obscuring any boundaries. Heaps of spoil had been left on the plot alongside stacks of old tiles and bricks. One brick and block lean-to shed, built against the only definable boundary, had the effect of reducing the visual impact. As if that wasn't enough, a neighbour was parking three large vans on the front portion of the land, leading Velma to think that that whole section wasnt included. It wasn't the best plot on the site but it was certainly worthwhile.

A very friendly neighbour came out and showed us the boundaries, talking about her own self-build and giving Velma and Kevin some useful tips about tradesmen and builders in the area. The plot wouldn't take a house quite as big as the other three and in fact the ideal size was, once again, 150m². It would have to be a more complicated shape than for the other plots we'd seen on the day but the extra costs would be outweighed by the fact that all the services were already in to the plot. £75,000 build costs added to the land came to £105,000 to set against a value of £150,000.

Our Plothunter's opinion: Pilsley is quite a nice village and we've got some friends who live here. The schools are quite good but it just doesn't do it for me somehow. I don't know if its the fact that theres no open view or whether its the odd shape of the land. It does make a difference to realise that the land where those vans are parked is included. Its not our problem what he's going to do with them. The details say its going to be a private driveway and the lady confirms that parking on it won't be permitted so I can't see a problem in the long term. This is the one with the most potential to increase our equity and thats an important factor. We're quite tempted with this now.

Kevin and Velma chose... Option Three: Plot at Manor Farm, Pilsey.

Our Plothunter's opinion: I really didn't expect to like the one at Bolsover Hill and yet, when we got there it seemed that the excitement just grew. I think we should go back and have another look. I love the idea and the concept behind the community orchard. We went back for a second viewing and I got a less than friendly look from a potential neighbour. A friendly place was high on our list and I kept on going over the fact that the lady at Pilsley, who had also built her own home, was so helpful. She was the same age as me and our children are the same ages. The more I think about it the more I'm changing my mind. Its nice at the top in the orchard but there are empty beer cans and you generally get the feel that the area is rather grotty. You can see the Coalite chimneys and they give off a rather nasty smell that further darkened our opinion of the place. I think I prefer Pilsley after all and we can make money there a very nice bonus but not the most important thing to us.

Our Expert's Summary: Driving away from the last of the seven plots we looked at on the day, we talked about our favourites. I thought that the plot at Pilsley was the best for many reasons, not least because, being the last in a cul-de-sac of self built houses, the neighbours would be sympathetic to what Kevin and Velma were hoping to achieve. More than that, they would probably provide active help and advice in their own best interests at getting the site as a whole finished after three years and the driveway properly constructed. Kevin more or less agreed with me but Velma remained sceptical and wanted to go back to Bolsover Hill, a plot she had been against until we got there but which, once she had seen it, had completely surprised her. I saw the change in her attitude when we got back.

I saw the look she got from the neighbour and we all saw the proximity of the Coalite chimneys that give this whole area its distinctive acrid smell.

I watched as the spell was broken and they realised that Pilsley was the best choice for them. In addition, the figures added up nicely.

Our Expert's Design Idea

It is important that the house fits the shape of the plot and that it wraps around and completes the development at the head of the cul-de-sac. It is also important that, whilst the house cannot be as big as the other houses, it nevertheless stands up for itself and does not look out of place beside them.

Velma and Kevin did find the plot they were looking for, and ended up building a six bedroom home for just £115,000. Read more about their self-build success.

Why not see what opportunities are on the Plotfinder Land & Renovation Database in your area by logging on to www.plotfinder.net.