Micro housing ?

Robert7578

Why has our planning system in the UK focused on massively expensive bricks and mortar homes ?

With modern materiels and bulding technology now it is easy to create a comfortable home on a permenant or non permenant basis on small holdings, unused agricultural land, repurposed land ect there are plenty of ways to do this and remain off grid , living a simple , no mortgage life . Many people seem to want to do it but PP is the biggest hurdle.

Of course there has to be rules to stop those who would trash the countryside gravel over a field and park 25 caravans on it or set up a permenant rave site, or just see an opportunity to evade council tax.

Solar electricity, filtered water from any source , composting sewage system are all so simple now. Timber frame cabins, Sheperds huts, Yurts, shipping containers all cheap and easy to self build so why are people waiting on housing lists or committing to mortgages for a house that is ten times the cost of what they actually need to live in ?

I have been using common sense again , oops sorry.

oldernonethewiser

"I have been using common sense again"

Where and when?

user1977

Because there's a general opinion that we can do better than housing people in yurts or shipping containers (plus things like building regulations come into it too).

subjecttocontract

This has got to be a wind up hasn't it ?

I don't actually know anyone who wants to live in a timber cabin, shepherds hut, yurt or shipping container. I know plenty of people who'd be happy to live in a house with a garden which is exactly what developers are providing.

soolin

So who’s paying for the land these properties will use? Ok a few small buildings might go under the radar, but to make any dent in the housing shortage there would need to be thousands, is there a suggestion that woodlands, green belt, public open spaces just be used?

Chief_of_Staffy

You answered your own question. Planning permission, and assorted regulatory compliances (unless you're… no, we won't go there). So what could be a cheap and simple dwelling, when you add up the land purchase cost, build cost, and regulatory / infrastructure compliance, is no longer cheap, and it's far from simple. A £60k build might also require buying the land at £200k and complying with all relevant building legislation at £120k, making it more expensive than a larger new build on the same sized plot. Then again, it would probably last longer as 90% of new builds aren't fit for rats.

QrizB

Why has our planning system in the UK focused on massively expensive bricks and mortar homes ?

I guess you've never heard of "park homes" then?

https://www.onthemarket.com/for-sale/park-home/uk/

Many people seem to want to do it …

I suspect the number of people wanting to live in park homes is smaller than you think.

Solar electricity, filtered water from any source , composting sewage system are all so simple now.

Alternative take: becoming responsible for your own water company, sewage treatment and energy supply is both expensive and time-consuming.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6669066/micro-housing

Solar electricity, filtered water from any source , composting sewage system are all so simple now. Timber frame cabins, Sheperds huts, Yurts, shipping containers all cheap and easy to self build so why are people waiting on housing lists or committing to mortgages for a house that is ten times the cost of what they actually need to live in ?

Broadly, because the people on housing lists want to live in a normal house in a town or city, with access to healthcare, schools and shops. Not in the middle of a field.

If you are wealthy and/or have an income stream which doesn't require you to attend a place of work then it is feasible to buy somewhere in the countryside and pay the extra it costs to live that way.

It is a bit of a myth that there is any significant amount of "unused agricultural land". It might not look like it is used for much, but that doesn't mean it is unused. And if it doesn't have a value for agricultural purposes then it is more likely to be profitable for it to be used for renewable energy rather than as a mini-town of container homes.

The reason the planning system discourages development in rural areas - broadly speaking - is due to the lack of infrastructure and the environmental impact of rural development.

Solar electricity, filtered water from any source , composting sewage system are all so simple now.

Solar electricity is only a partial solution. "Filtered water" is far from being simple. Composting toilets work, but what are you going to do with all your washing water?

TroubledTarts

We are but a small island packed with people and the land that is available is largely used.

I think you are looking at the American way of a small holding and tiny home/self build self sufficient cabin life. We simply don't have the space and the economy does not lean towards supporting that ideology.

What compounds that simplistic life is that we don't produce much these days we are a service run economy so yes the rules and regulations are set so that all our industries get their money. Whether that be electrical certification, building certification, council taxes etc etc any attempt to circumvent these is limited, think campervan.

Robert7578

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82004856#Comment_82004856

Thanks for trolling both my threads today.

oldernonethewiser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005038#Comment_82005038

Trolling? Just replying to your nonsense.

Have a nice evening.