Build your Ladywell dream house

Muriel Blandings: I refuse to endanger the lives of my children in a house with less than four bathrooms. 
Jim Blandings: For 1,300 dollars they can live in a house with three bathrooms and ROUGH IT.
- Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House

Ladywell's Church Grove, which was once earmarked to become a Traveller site has now been allocated for use by people who want to build their own homes. Lewisham Council says:

As part of the first ever National Self Build Week (4-12 May 2013), Lewisham Council is offering residents a rare opportunity to build their own home.

The Council is re-introducing its self-build scheme as a further step towards meeting the growing demand for social housing in the borough and to provide new skills for unemployed local people.

A site has been identified off Church Grove in Ladywell and should provide up to 16 new homes by 2016.

The initiative will be supported by the National Self Build Association and run in partnership with an experienced house builder.

The scheme has been designed for people on Lewisham’s housing waiting list who want to develop their skills in house building trades such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing and bricklaying – and who also want to build their own home.

In addition to gaining a new home, residents will acquire new skills to help them access future employment opportunities.

Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Everyone recognises that London has a real shortage of housing but Lewisham Council is exploring a whole range of ways to support the needs of local residents.

“We were the first in the country to experiment with self-build projects, so we know we can make this work. Self-build is part of a package of measures we’re taking and this will provide not only much needed homes but skills to give local people the opportunity for future employment.”

The Council already has a successful scheme in Honor Oak Park which completed in the 1980s. It was the first project of its kind in the UK and gave rise to similar projects around the country.

Applicants need to be a Lewisham resident and be on the Lewisham housing waiting list. For more information and to register your interest email housing.matters@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 9163.