More people in Shropshire are ditching estate agents and the housing market and building their own dream homes, it has been revealed.

The number of people looking to build their own homes in Shropshire has risen by five per cent according to figures released by The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show.

Bosses of the self-build and renovation show – starting at the Birmingham NEC on March 24 – also said there were more plots with planning permission available in the region in January than any other in the UK.

Examples of plots for sale in the Shropshire area include a conversion property for sale with planning permission to create two homes, located in Cantlop, near Shrewsbury, priced at £175,000. Further land with planning permission for a four-bedroomed detached house is on offer near the town priced at £85,000.

Meanwhile, a plot is available with planning permission to build in Church Stretton town centre, priced at £59,950.

Ross Stokes

Ross Stokes, editor of SelfBuild and Design magazine, based in Ludlow, said there had been a nationwide surge in people taking on personal projects while Shropshire served as ideal location to build a house.

He said: “Counties like Shropshire are suited to self builds because of the relatively small population ratio compared to the size of the land.

“Self builds are one of the best ways of achieving your dream home while also achieving value for money.

“There has been growing interest in the market over the last ten years, helped by programmes like Grand Designs on TV and exhibitions like Grand Designs Live, the Ideal Home Show and the Homebuilding & Renovating Show which all take place in the next month.”

Mr Stokes added that housing minister, Grant Shapps, intends to ease the barriers to self-build by cutting planning red tape and bureaucracy and encouraging more available finance.

Jason Orme, show spokesperson and editor of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, said: “The demand for information is demonstrated with this year’s March show experiencing levels of interest surpassing those of 2008 when the market slumped.”

For more information and tickets for the show call 0844 581 1377.

By Sam Pinnington