PROPERTY
ORCHARD FARM : SELF-BUILD A SUSTAINABLE HOME THAT YOU ’ LL LOVE
Orchard Farm is located in Kennington on the outskirts of Ashford and overlooks an area of outstanding natural beauty ; it will be the first green self-build community in Kent .
The people who will live there were put at the heart of the landscape design , which has already won awards and has much more green space than is normally found in new housing developments . For example , 20 % of the development will be kept as meadow and there will be a communal orchard .
We know that sustainability is important to our prospective self-builders so there will be no gas and each plot will be sold with all services in place , plus electric vehicle charging points . The plots are situated on lanes or courtyards and there are no cul-desacs , so people will feel connected to each other . The roads are designed to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists , with public footpaths leading to the North Downs .
Unlike buying a plot of land in the middle of nowhere , our plots are sold with individual Plot Passports describing what can be built on the plot and , once the rules are met , planning permission can be agreed with the council in just eight weeks . There are options for three- , four- and fivebedroomed houses , and on some corner plots it ’ s possible to build up to three storeys . The prices of plot plus build are comparable to buying off-plan on another new housing development in the same area , but the main difference is that people can have the exact design they want rather than having to choose from what is being offered .
Plot prices start at £ 192,950 for a 275-sqm plot on which it ’ s possible to build a threeor four-bed detached house of up to 106- sqm gross internal area over two storeys and an attic . There is already interest from a wide variety of people of all ages , including those who want to live multi-generationally or next to friends , and from those who need a carefully designed layout to work for a disabled member of the family .
Our Customer Guide outlines the steps that prospective buyers need to take and introduces them to a network of experts including architects and financial advisors . Customers reserve a plot of their choice in the first phase for £ 500 . They then have nine weeks before they sign a Purchase
Agreement including a Golden Brick Agreement , which means that they don ’ t have to pay VAT on the plot of land .
During the nine-week period , they can speak to an architect to get a sketch design drawn that can then be costed out by a builder and they can speak to a financial adviser to find out if they can afford it . Many of our plots are also sold with extension areas which can be developed later .
They will then sign a Purchase Agreement ( including the Golden Brick Agreement ) and pay an additional £ 5,000 . Once both agreements are signed , they will have 12 months to gain approval from the council for their house design , to pay for and build the foundations , and to complete the purchase of the plot . The plot is then theirs and they can start building ! Throughout this whole process , they will be supported by a Customer Guide and there is also the opportunity to meet with the in-house architect for a free consultation .
Please don ’ t hesitate to get in touch for further information .
www . orchardfarmkent . co . uk .
170 • www . insidekent . co . uk