Do You Still Need Biodiversity Net Gain for Your Self-Build? Why Plot Size Now Decides
For years, building your own home carried a quiet exemption from biodiversity rules, simply by virtue of being a self-builder. That exemption has just been removed, replaced with something stricter: a line drawn at 0.2 hectares. Here's what the change actually means for your plot, and why the answer now turns on land, not intent.
What Is "Grey Belt" in Planning — and Where Does It Apply?
Not all Green Belt is equal, and national policy now says so in writing. Here's what "grey belt" really means, where it shows up locally, and why a plot's postcode alone won't tell you if it qualifies.
Is There Really a Self-Build "Fast-Track" in the New NPPF?
A new clause in national planning policy is being talked about as a hidden door for self-builders. We went and read it. The real story is more useful than the myth, just less exciting.
NPPF August 2026: What the new planning rules mean for you
Somewhere between a government press release and a 130-page document, most homeowners lost the thread. Here's the version written for the people actually living through it.
Does Passivhaus Really Cost More? What New 2026 Research Actually Shows
Everyone assumes Passivhaus costs a fortune more to build. New research says otherwise — and the real figure is small enough to make the question worth asking again.
Future Homes Standard Explained: What It Means for Your New Build
A new law now governs how every new home in England must perform — not in some distant future, but from March 2027. We look at what it actually requires, and why the homes worth building were already heading this way.
Biodiversity Net Gain 2026: What It Means for Homeowners
Most extensions were never affected by Biodiversity Net Gain — and the rules for new builds and self-build plots just changed again. What the August 2026 amendments actually mean, beyond the headlines.