Channel 4 Features commissions My Grand Design (w/t)

19 February 2015

Channel 4 Features has commissioned a pioneering six-part series, produced by Boundless and presented by Kevin McCloud.

Working in close collaboration with Cherwell District Council to secure access to the country’s biggest mass self-build site, located in Bicester, Oxfordshire, “My Grand Design (w/t)” will offer ten households the chance to purchase a plot, design and build their own homes at the dedicated site.

Kevin will launch a nationwide search for the ten households who want to create their own unique homes and become part of this new community. He’ll be highlighting how big ideas about architecture and design can be achieved on a budget. He’ll be looking for people with a creative ambitious approach to building that will show how high quality homes can be built without breaking the bank.

All ten homes will be built next to each other and become part of a fledgling new community. The aim of this project is to reduce the barriers to self-build, enabling people to create their own inspirational home on their own budget. Alongside access to land, self-builders will get access to additional help and advice to make it easier to get their ideas off the ground.

The series will hope to reveal what kind of homes the great British public would choose to live in if they were given the chance to design and build them, instead of leaving it in the hands of developers.

Kevin McCloud said: 'For decades, self-build in Britain has been the preserve of the relatively wealthy and empowered.  What's happening at Cherwell is something else: a self-build revolution that'll make the custom-designed home accessible to everyone.  Individual households and self-build groups will be working alongside each other, constructing their homes with the help of contractors and experts and building a new community as they do so.  It's absolutely right that Grand Designs is there to witness this process - and be part of it too.   We can become a nation of Grand Designers; great, sustainable architecture can be the preserve of everyone.'

MD of Boundless, Patrick Holland comments on the new series: ‘The Cherwell project is both ground-breaking and hugely exciting. A whole street of home designers and self-builders will work to create their own Grand Designs side by side, all on relatively modest budgets. Kevin McCloud helped create this design revolution so we are delighted to be able to follow these stories with him. We’ll chart the stories from initial plans through to moving-in day, with ten unique households on one British street’

If you would like more information on applying to build on this site, email: mygranddesign@boundlessproductions.tv

Commissioning Editor, Features:  Kate Teckman, Channel 4

Executive Producer: Fiona Caldwell

Production Company: Boundless

Notes for Editors: self-build overview

 The UK has one of the lowest rates of self-building compared with other European countries. Self-built homes in this country make up less than 10 percent of new housing, while in Austria it accounts for 80 percent.*

*House of Commons Library briefing papers, Standard Note: SN06784, “Self-build and custom build housing sector,” p3

In order to double the size of the self-build market and to make home ownership easier, the Government’s May 2014 budget earmarked a 150 million pound fund for a “Right to Build” campaign. The initiative is being rolled out across 11 “vanguard” authorities (including Cherwell, Sheffield and Stoke-on-Trent), meaning that around 10,000 residential plots are becoming available for self and custom builders to buy. In tandem with this pilot scheme, the “Self Build and Custom Housebuilding” Bill is currently going through Parliament and has cross party support.

Over 50 per cent of people in the UK would consider building their own home given the opportunity.*

         *Building Societies Association (BSA) survey, published in October 2011

Useful links

Information on Cherwell’s Graven Hill site: http://gravenhill.org.uk/the-graven-hill-sitelocation/

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/SN06784/selfbuild-and-custom-build-housing-sector

http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Contactus/NewsAndPress/Membernews/PracticeNews/2014/October2014/2October2014/SelfbuildvanguardcouncilstrialRighttoBuild.aspx

Notes for Editors: Cherwell District Council and Graven Hill

The press release refers to Cherwell District Council. However, please note that the Graven Hill site is owned and will be developed by Graven Hill Village Holding and Development Companies Ltd ~ wholly owned by Cherwell District Council.

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