A partnership between a Kent architect and a Dutch building engineer will create Kent’s first ever scaled-up self-build community. Let's find out more about these self-build masterminds: Adam Roake and Hans Sparreboom.
 
Self-build isn’t new in the UK and there are other sites in the UK offering a self-build opportunity alongside traditional development. However, the difference at Orchard Farm, is that each of the eventual one hundred and twenty-two homes will be self-built, with the self-build process made easier and more accessible because the site will be ‘serviced’. This means that self-build becomes an option for people who may have never considered it before.

Adam and Hans bring different strengths to the union but they are wedded on giving people the chance to build their own homes to a design that works for them.

The Dutch Way’ makes building a home that works, easy and accessible, with prices comparable to buying off-plan on another development in the same area. The main difference is that buyers can have the exact design they want, rather than having to choose from what is being offered.

Hans continues to emphasise, "We'll provide the means for our customers to create a self-built home. A home where they can choose the design and decide what they want for the way they want to live. They can build it by themselves or direct their chosen professionals." 

Every plot that is sold at Orchard Farm will have its own Plot Passport. Each one details the specific design parameters including the plot area, the maximum building footprint, height and gross external and internal areas, the building line, roof orientation and parking spaces.

Adam, whose background is ‘problem land’; solving issues and making it acceptable for planning permission, bought the land at Orchard Farm in 2015, using all of his career skills to get the site ready for housing. He could easily have sold it for a good profit to a developer but hasn’t, instead, choosing to take on the self-build project.

He says:

“The Orchard Farm project is part of the solution to the housing shortage – which I am passionate about being a part of, because housing should not be an issue in a country like ours.
“Instead of providing homes to move into, we have plots of land ready to self-build unique homes on, for a comparable price of a new build."
“The cost of their self-build home is up to the buyer – it will depend on their choice of materials, furnishing, technology and specification and how much of the work they want to do themselves.
“Self-build is an obligation of local authority housing provision but many councils don’t have the resources to make it happen and this is where we step in, working with Ashford Borough Council to help them to meet their self-build targets on housing delivery.
“The partnership with our colleagues in Holland has made it possible, as they bring their successful model of self-building communities to the table; it’s very exciting to be a part of this.”

Hans, who runs Steenvlinder in The Hague, spent 25 years working for the local council there setting up a ‘plot shop’ for residents,  providing self-build schemes and an accessible product for anyone to start their own self-build adventure. He's philosophical and so is his company name – it directly translates to stone (steen) butterfly (vlinder).

He says:

“Although seemingly a paradox, the name inspires us to think in terms of what is possible and to focus on the spectacular.
“How can a house facilitate the life people want? Our aim is to give people the chance to build their own unique home. Because of planning regulations, we have to keep to some rules, but this is mostly around materials and height etc.
“Everyone will start with the same choices, summarised in a plot passport,  but what they choose to build is the exciting part – because unlike other developers, we don’t know what the site will look like when it’s finished.”
“We’re doing it the Dutch way, which has been pioneered by Steenvlinder in the Netherlands, making it simple and accessible for those who are interested in self build but not experienced. The Dutch way is that we untangle the complicated steps like planning and utilities and introducing a Customer Guide to help navigate the information and steps, also creating a trusted and reliable network to help our self-builders. We then leave people to do the bits they can do, the design and instructing builders and other trades and then furnishing the interior.”
“We are creating a new community in a great location in Ashford. A place where we hope many people will want to live. We and our self-builders in the Netherlands are proud of the work that we have achieved and know this can be replicated in Kent.”