122 Self Build Sites coming up in Kent

Ashford's first self-build development at Orchard Farm in Kennington.

Designs for a town's first development of self-build homes have been revealed - and the plots could be on the market by the autumn.

Further details of the first phase of the 122-home site at Orchard Farm in Ashford, which will be the biggest in Kent, have been proposed, allowing people to design and build their homes themselves.

Specific plans for the first 25 have now been submitted to Ashford Borough Council, while the following 97 will be released in future phases.

The project in Kennington has been spearheaded by Dutch self-build company Steenvlinder, alongside Kent developers Urbanise. Mayflower are working with Steenvlinder to help their clients secure funding.

It will see the land separated into "clusters" of individual plots, with infrastructure – including water, electricity, and roads – already built.The plots are then bought by individuals who build their own home within guidelines in their "plot passport" provided by the developers, depending on the agreed planning permission from the council.

Anyone buying the land will be able to build their house entirely by themselves or with the help of a developer-appointed architect and builder. If you would like to see if you can borrow enough to build on the site. Please book your appointment with one of our self build experts.

How Orchard will look when completed.

While guidelines have to be followed, self-builds give buyers the freedom to design the layout of their home inside while choosing how it will look externally.

Phase one would include a range of two to five-bedroom semi-detached and detached houses, alongside apartments.

Seventy percent will be private, fully serviced self-build plots, 20% will be set aside for affordable shared-ownership dwellings while the remaining 10% will be available for affordable rent.

There will also be communal courtyards, walking and cycling routes, a central park and a meadow with the total development, once complete, offering 1.23 hectares of open space.

The development will be the first of its kind in Ashford, with similar schemes having already been carried out by Quinn Estates in Littlebourne, Sandwich and Grafty Green.

Hans Sparreboom, the founder and chief executive at Steenvlinder, said: “As a developer, our overarching purpose is to empower self-builders to be able to shape their environment: not only as individuals but also as part of a wider community.

"We will encourage them to express their unique identities, by offering freedom of choice, within a framework of specific regulations which will help them create a cohesive and distinctive neighbourhood.”

Adam Roake, the owner of Urbanise, said: "Our aim is to create a community with a distinct sense of place and our inspiration in shaping the Orchard Farm community has been informed by the distinctive characteristics of east Kent.

"Guided by the typical configuration of individual farms and small hamlets, we have developed an inventive spatial plan and buildings will be set within this framework, allowing individual expression yet respectfully integrating the best of the local character.

Outline planning permission for the development was granted in August 2020. Sales are due to start shortly. Please get in touch with Mayflower to see if you can make your self build home a reality.

Find Out More

If you need funding for a self-build project then Mayflower Mortgage will be happy to help, we help hundreds of families a year secure finance to build there dream homes. We’re working closely with steenvlinder on Orchard Farm you can call us to get a decisions in principle ready to reserve.