The UK’s first ever ‘plot shop’ was officially opened today as part of the Government’s drive to encourage the construction of self and custom build homes.

Located in Bicester, this outlet will sell plots of land on the Graven Hill site in Oxfordshire to those wishing to build their own home. The Graven Hill development will be the largest of its kind in the UK, delivering up to 1,900 new self and custom build homes.

‘We need to get creative with how we build our housing in this country, to deliver more of the right homes in the places people want to live,’ said housing and planning minister, Alok Sharma.

‘With the opening of the UK’s first ‘plot shop’, the journey to building your own home can now start on the high-street.’

Since April 2016, every council has been required to hold a register of those seeking to build their own home. They are also required to find and commission sufficient land to match the demand on their registers.

Whitehall hopes this will act as a measure of demand for self and custom build in each areas. Over 18,000 aspiring custom and self-builders have signed up to their local registers to date.

The Government predicts self and custom build has the potential to deliver over 40,000 homes a year in the UK.

‘As confirmed in our housing white paper, we are committed to doubling the number of custom and self build homes by 2020 – so that anyone who wishes to design their dream house can do so,’ said Ms Sharma.

‘Through diversifying the housing market in this way, we can give people greater choice over the homes they live in – whether that’s buying on the open market or by commissioning and building their dream home.’