Dartmoor National Park has set out a new plan to help people build their own homes on the moor to address the local housing need.

People wanting to build their own homes as can now receive help to do so through the national park’s Local Plan, adopted in December 2021, which encourages people to build homes on small sites in an existing town or village and reduce the pressure on local authorities to provide affordable housing.

Since the policy was implemented, a custom build planning application has already been approved.

At its June meeting, the park’s development management committee approved an outline planning for five self-build properties in Horrabridge.

Dan Janota, Dartmoor National Park Authority’s head of forward planning and economy, said: ‘The custom and self-build policy in the new Local Plan has been really positively received and we’re encouraged to see a scheme coming forward to provide an opportunity for new homes in Horrabridge. We’re excited to see how local people will rise to the challenge of designing and building their own homes on this site.

‘Custom and self-build homes can be great for a community for several reasons. They can lead to a greater variety of design in an area, they help create a community and smaller local-occupancy homes can bridge the gap between traditional affordable housing and open market homes. This policy also makes efficient use of Dartmoor’s precious land resource by encouraging infill development in the most sustainable locations.’

However, there are requirements that must be filled to receive the support. Proposals must be limited to single homes or very small sites and must be occupied by a local person in perpetuity.