For many self-builders, the hunt for a suitable building plot represents one of the biggest challenges of the entire project. Yet, recent changes to national planning policy could unlock new potential avenues for tracking down land; specifically, alterations made to the policy around brownfield sites.
In 2024, the government pledged its support for the development of brownfield land – that is, land that’s previously been developed for another, usually industrial, purpose. It also released £68 million’s worth of funding to select local authorities to help clear empty buildings, former carparks and industrial land for house building, including self and custom build.
But, building on brownfield land isn't without its risks. We share expert tips for a successful outcome.
What are the advantages of building on brownfield land?
If vital infrastructure and service connections already exist on a brownfield site, it can make the plot an attractive prospect for would-be self builders.
"Brownfield plots almost always have existing connections to services such as electricity, water and sewerage, along with good-quality access that saves some substantial preliminary costs," says Robert Elkins, architect and creative director at Artel31.
From a planning perspective, there could be further benefits to self building on land that’s already been developed. "It’s more likely to be zoned by the local planning authority as suitable for development," says Matt Loader, director at Loader Monteith. "If this isn’t the case, an argument can also be made that development should be supported due to the historical precedent.”
Plus, if you’re looking to develop land that’s currently home to a run-down, unsightly eyesore, you could argue that erecting an attractive, bespoke home in its place will benefit people living and working in the surrounding area, too.
Rob Elkins is the Creative Director and Chairman of Artel31, an architect-led design and build firm dedicated to contemporary and sustainable design. His work focuses on balancing material and craft, with social and environmental responsibility.
Matt Loader is Co-Funder and Director of Loader Monteith, working alongside Iain Monteith. He has been a qualified architect since 2009, leading design teams on many award-winning projects. His expertise lies in contemporary design within historic settings, often involving adaptive restoration and extension of listed buildings, or work in conservation areas.
1. Explore all avenues to find a plot
Many of the traditional avenues for finding a plot to self-build on apply to brownfield plots too, as Spencer Guy, an architect at Levitate Architects who designed and built his own home on a brownfield plot in Buckinghamshire confirms.
"Our brownfield site had been promoted by the previous owner who got planning consent for a new dwelling. We saw the sales particulars on a site finding website," he says.
"Those kinds of websites are still the easiest way of finding land, and increasingly landowners are selling their land through estate agents," says Spencer. "Most value can be achieved by searching out sites on Google or by travelling around, finding and approaching the owners."
But, while sites such as Plotfinder and also auctions may be a good place to seek out brownfield plots, Robert and Hannah Elkins took a more speculative approach to finding the perfect plot, showing that in some cases walking around your desired neighbourhood to identify sites with development potential is the best way forward.
"We knew the area we hoped to live in and how limited our options would be, so we were open-minded and creative," says Hannah. "We knocked on doors and dropped letters through letter boxes explaining that we understood the challenges and would be willing to offer without a survey.”
Rob and Hannah’s house, constructed on a former brownfield plot in Bristol, is the result of their efforts. The site was previously home to a commercial garage that had fallen into disrepair 20 years before they bought it.
Spencer Guy co-founded Levitate, an award-winning architectural practise with Tim Sloan in 2005. He plays an active role in the design of all Levitate projects and has also built his own family house.
2. Be aware of the potential challenges
Just as a brownfield plot may come with the potential advantages of pre-existing infrastructure and services, there may be additional hurdles to consider before you build.
Brownfield sites are often more difficult to build on because of the increased contamination risk. There’s a long list of potentially hazardous substances to look out for, including sulphuric acid for land previously linked with the oil industry, hydrocarbons from fuel storage and lead from steel works factories.
If you’re buying a site that accommodates a disused petrol station, for instance, it’s likely the land is polluted with benzene and other petrochemicals that could pose a risk to the health of future occupants.
"The risk of long-term negative effects to your own or your family’s health often dissuades people from beginning the process,’ says Robert Elkins. "But, they can easily be managed provided they’re factored into the early design stages."
3. Commission the correct surveys
When building on brownfield land, "surveys should be undertaken to check what is present on the land," says Spencer Guy. "The other challenge can be the removal of redundant buildings on the land, which often is dangerous as they may contain hazardous materials," he adds.
"We experienced both of these challenges when building on brownfield land and they can pretty much always be overcome – but they often cost more money than is expected at the outset," warns Spencer.
When setting out your budget for building on a brownfield plot, it’s therefore important to have a generous fund set aside to conduct the relevant surveys and deal with any potential issues that arise as a result.
When Robert and Hannah Elkins built their home, they were most concerned about the cost of disposing of polluted soil if it was discovered during the excavation of their basement.
"Building below ground meant we would need to take about 1,000 tonnes out of the site, so we explored the costs of doing so in the case of that happening, and kept it as a contingency," says Hannah. "We knew there’d be risks and challenges, but the location was so important it was worth it."
4. Understand what's involved when knocking down existing buildings
If the brownfield site you’re interested in has existing structures on it, then your project will most likely encompass the partial or a full demolition of those buildings to make way for your new home.
However, it’s worth bearing in mind that knocking down old buildings comes with its own set of challenges to be aware of before you bring in the wrecking ball.
For example, if the pre-existing structure is in poor condition, the local council may want to see evidence of your strategy to keep passers-by safe before you commence demolition works. You’ll also need to assess whether there may be any additional hazards related to the demolition, such as asbestos.
A specialist survey will be required to identify the level of risk and any measures that need to be taken to keep everyone on site safe throughout the construction process.
5. Allocate sufficient budget
According to Derek Dawson from Scandia Hus, it can cost more to develop brownfield sites due to the potential contamination issues and demolition costs that might be involved.
"I would suggest that surveys are undertaken at an early stage to fully understand the potential costs involved from contamination issues and demolition requirements," he says.
Having said that, these additional costs to build a house might be balanced out by the savings you make due to pre-existing services connections and access to the plot.
6. Be thorough with the planning process
In theory, obtaining planning permission can be more straightforward to achieve on land that’s already been built on – in this case, brownfield land – than land that’s previously undeveloped.
However, that doesn’t mean you can skip the usual due diligence that’s required when it comes to checking out the local authority’s planning policies and the planning history of the site you’re interested in.
"Prior bidding on a brownfield site is worth looking at and the local authority designation of the plot in question," says Matt Loader. "If possible, make a bid on the land that’s subject to achieving planning permission."
7. Consider your design carefully
When it comes to designing your own self build home, there’s a plethora of design choices. In reality, the style of your new home and its size will likely be dictated – at least to some extent – by the unique features of the plot you’re building on.
"Most planning policies will state a preference for new development roughly equal in size and scale to the historical development on the site," says Matt Loader. "In our experience, this can be flexed within a margin of error by looking at nearby precedent, too."
Keen to see exactly what you could achieve by building on brownfield land? Take a look at this selection of homes built on brownfield sites, and take a deeper dive into this innovative London home that also took advantage of the opportunity to build on brownfield land.
