SOUTH Hams Eco Developments are holding a public consultation next week about their project to help local people build their own homes.

Three local businessmen, construction manager Jonathan Stilwell, architect Mike Derry and renewable energy installer Matt Farrand, have set up South Hams Eco Developments, or SHED.

They have spent the last year getting everything in place in order to submit an outline planning application for their site on the northern outskirts of Kingsbridge, and are now looking to discuss their plans with members of the town and surrounding community.

SHED is in the process of formulating a scheme to deliver houses in a way that will make them ‘genuinely affordable’ to the local community. To this end, they have been investigating the possible options regarding self-build or custom build houses, allowing people to add value to the property through their own work.

Jonny Stilwell said: ‘There will be an overall design to the development, for the purposes of obtaining planning permission, but with the choice of how much of a self-build people do themselves to add value to the properties, and also how they lay out and specify the houses.’

SHED have had several very positive meetings with both South Hams District Council and Kingsbridge Town Council and have been sending out questionnaires to any members of the public that may be interested in being a part of the project.

With Matt Farrand’s background in renewable energy, the houses would be as designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and would therefore be cheap to heat and run.

SHED have been in discussion with the affordable homes officers from South Hams District Council, as well as several housing associations that offer some interesting schemes in helping local people to buy a home of their own.

?Matt said: ‘We’ve sent out over 80 questionnaires so far, and had lots of completed ones returned to us, and expect a few more over the next week or two.

‘There is clearly a need for more genuinely affordable homes in the town and the wider South Hams, and we’re looking at ways that we think may make that a more realistic opportunity than it has been to date.’

The details are still being finalised, and although the scheme has now been drawn up, this is the ideal time to come and see what they’re proposing and voice any concerns or register your support or interest.

SHED is holding a public consultation next week on Wednesday, February 24, between 10am-7pm at the Horizons building in Fore Street, Kingsbridge.