Community in Lewisham who can’t afford to buy houses are using the build-your-own scheme.

Meet first-time buyers coping with rising London house prices – by moving into build-your-own properties.

The average cost of a house in the city last year was £720,000 – far more than anywhere else in the country.

Too big for many Londoners, this created a gap in the market – which was filled by a self-build scheme in the South East.

People have started to move into the community in Ladywell, Lewisham, where all 36 homes are priced capped.

The properties have a few rooms – the kitchen and bathroom already installed, and the rest are built by the residents, with self-build managers, an architect and a carpenter providing training to the residents.

And the scheme is proving popular – with the waiting time for a property currently at nine YEARS.

Rory Wakefield. (Image: SWNS)

Meet the Lewisham community who are building their own homes

Rory Wakefield, a musician, is still building his house and is currently working on laying his floors.

He bought his flat for around £300,000 a month ago.

As a first-time buyer, he was delighted to own a home and says he is a long-time fan of the scheme.

He said: “I wouldn’t have been able to get a house without this scheme. It makes it accessible.

“I was born and bred in Lewisham and I could never have stayed here without this scheme.

“It’s a very positive scheme. They should definitely do more, they need them.

“The government just wants to do things to make a quick buck, they don’t really care about helping people.”

A map of development. (Image: SWNS)

Mr Wakefield also liked being able to build parts of the property himself as it gave him more creative freedom.

The 31-year-old added: “I want it to look the way I want it to look.

“I am in the philosophy of building a sustainable space and community. That’s why I wanted to get involved.”

The new development consists of 36 homes and took 15 years from conception to completion.

The homes are part of a community land trust, which means they are owned by a non-profit organization that keeps them affordable.

Units are offered in a variety of sizes and durations: full ownership, part-rent-part-buy, London Living tenancy and social tenancy.

Martin Oroyan, 61, moved into his part-rent-part-buy property with his partner and three sons just over a month ago and is absolutely delighted with the community feel.

Martin Oroyan. (Image: SWNS)

The ambulance worker declined to say how much he bought the property for, but says he spent 25% of its value.

He said: “We have been involved with this project here in Ladywell since its inception in 2016 and it has been quite an experience.

“My partner and I were first time buyers and had been trying to get on the ‘ladder’ for a few years.

“Our three boys were born while living in Forest Hill and we hoped to avoid moving, changing schools and the general upheaval that comes with it.

“Without this project, we wouldn’t have been able to afford to live in the M25.”

He added: “It’s a friendly place to live and wonderfully peaceful. Everyone is supportive and there is a sense of ‘neighborhood’ that has sadly been lost from other urban areas.

Development. (Image: SWNS)

“It’s encouraging to know that new residents will have the same opportunity we had in terms of accessibility and be able to create their own stories here, just like we are now.”

The housing scheme was established by the Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS), which has amassed over 1100 members since its creation.

This has meant that the Ladywell development has a long waiting list.

Couple Pete Bell and Emma Onono moved into their property in April with their eight-year-old son and say the welcoming community is a far cry from their old Adelaide Avenue home.

Pete Bell and Emma Onono. (Image: SWNS)

Emma, ​​48, said: “I applied for the program a few years ago. Finally we got an email saying we made it to the top of the list and jumped on it.

“It has a great sense of community. You can’t go from one side to the other without saying hello to someone. Where we lived, nobody even knew their neighbors.

“We have one with a kitchen in a concrete shell. I built the floors and painted the walls, but that was it.

“I love it. I absolutely love it. There’s a really nice community.”

Pete, 55, says the couple paid just over 50% of the value of their family home at around £300,000 on a £600,000 property.

The property is in Lewisham. (Image: SWNS)

He added: “I was on the waiting list for eight or nine years. It is very popular.

“We’ve always rented and been interested in affordable housing.”

Sydney Thornbury, 57, bought the property outright three months ago, being one of the first to move in.

She decided to take part in the downsizing scheme and says she loves living there.

She said: “We all love it, it’s been fantastic. It was even better than I thought it would be.

“This building is not only an incredible testament to what people have achieved, but also the community that has been created since going through this process.

“One of the really wonderful things about it I think is that every apartment is really different. They all have a different style or feel to them.

Sydney Thornbury (Image: SWNS)

“I think sometimes new builds can feel like they lack personality, but these really don’t.”

Miss Thornbury says she laid her own floors, painted her walls and built her own bespoke kitchen.

The 57-year-old also echoed the idea that there is a great, safe, community feel to the development.

She said: “My door is open all the time, the neighbors come and I walk past theirs. The children run and play with my dog. It’s a really great atmosphere and you feel like everyone’s values ​​are aligned.”