Lack of available plots remains a key issue in some parts of the UK

The latest self build market report from AMA Research highlights a strong disconnect between the availability of suitable sites and where people want to build. Throughout the UK, there are significant variations in the level of demand and the plots available to facilitate these requests. The number of applications made for independent projects in the home counties and the south west is relatively large when compared to the amount of useable land. However, in places like the Highlands, Northern Ireland and the north east, there are considerably more plots available in comparison to overall application numbers. Council planning systems are viewed as one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to allocating and granting permission to build on small sites.