A package of new support to give as many people as possible the opportunity to build their own homes was announced today at England's most famous address by Housing Minister Grant Shapps.

It comes as a new report predicts a 141 per cent rise in the mortgages available for those building their own homes over the next three years.

The Minister said that going down the self-build route was an affordable option for aspiring homeowners and shouldn't be seen as the preserve of those with deep pockets and grand designs.

A budget of £150,000 is adequate, in most instances, to get a three to four bedroom home built. The average cost of a ready-made home is now over £232,000.

Pledging to double the size of the self-build sector, Mr Shapps was joined by a glittering cast list of TV house-building experts at 10 Downing Street - assembled to offer advice to aspiring self builders on issues ranging from setting a budget and finding a site to practical tips on designing and building their own home.

A growing number of Britons are laying their own foundations with almost 14,000 new homes self-built last year - more than many individual volume housebuilders are building.

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However, the self-builder's share of the market - one in ten of all new homes - is still very small by international standards.

Launching a package of measures today designed to turn this into a mass market opportunity, Mr Shapps said that for the first time, anyone wanting to don a hard hat and build their own home from scratch - whatever their budget - will have the help, advice and support they need to get started.

The pros on hand at the Downing Street reception today to offer advice included:

•Architecture Expert, Green Developer and Presenter of Grand Designs Kevin McCloud

•Architect, presenter and independent advisor to the Government on empty homes George Clarke

•TV builder and handyman Tommy Walsh

•Architecture expert Dan Cruickshank

•Writer and broadcaster on architecture Tom Dyckhoff

•Property expert and presenter Michael Holmes, and

•Architectural designer and sustainability expert Charlie Luxton.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps said: "Last year, self-builders accounted for about 14,000 new homes in this country, more than many large commercial builders. Yet our self-build industry still lags behind much of the rest of the world, with the opportunity to build your own home seen as something only for a select few.

"That's why today, I'm pledging to back the self-build boom and support the industry to double in size over the next few years. As well as a new website giving help and advice, we're working hard to identify more land for development and have reformed the planning rules to stop people's aspirations getting tangled in red tape.

"This package of measures is designed to ensure anyone looking to build their own home gets the support they need and with the numbers of mortgages available set to rise by a massive 141 per cent, there's never been a better time for people to lay their own foundations."

(CD)