The housing minister has welcomed a move by the self-build industry to kick-start the sector.

Grant Shapps said a new action plan could be the turning point that takes self-build to the masses.

The National Self Build Association (NaSBA) have presented Shapps with their findings on tackling the main challenges holding the self-build industry back: the availability of land and finance, lack of support from industry for new self builders and the impact of regulation.

Shapps says he has written, in discussion with the Building Societies Association, to chief executives of banks and building societies, calling on them to make more finance options available to those looking to build their own home.

NaSBA has called for the use of publicly owned land for self build housing. The government says it will be earmarking land at Hemel Hempstead for self builders as part of plans to release more land for redevelopment and seek to identify further sites and opportunities.

Shapps wants the industry to get behind the proposed self build ‘portal’, saying that key to opening up the industry to more people was improving access to the self build concept.

Saying that all communities could benefit from self build projects,the minister vowed to give serious consideration to how government can support proposals for suitable revolving fund facilities to be made available for group self build projects.

Shapps said: “Self builders deliver affordable