What is a small housing development?

A small housing development is a scheme of a few new homes, typically two to nine, on a single site. We work with landowners, small developers and investors to build schemes that already have planning permission, or help take a site through planning first.
How much does a small housing development cost in Waterlooville?
In Waterlooville, a small housing development typically costs £2,000–£3,000 per m² of floor area (build cost), including VAT at 0% (zero-rated for qualifying new dwellings). For a typical 400 m² project that is roughly £800,000–£1,200,000. The guide for Waterlooville reflects typical costs in the South East, roughly 12% above the UK-wide figure. Design, structural calculations and council fees are extra.
| Size or type | Guide range |
|---|---|
| Smaller project (280 m²) | £560,000–£840,000 |
| Typical project (400 m²) | £800,000–£1,200,000 |
| Larger project (560 m²) | £1,120,000–£1,680,000 |
| Rate per m² | £2,000–£3,000 |
The biggest cost drivers are:
- Number and size of homes
- Roads, sewers and adoption agreements
- Site access and phasing
- Ground conditions
A guide range is only a starting point: the guide price tool gives an instant figure for your size, and a free survey turns it into a fixed quote.
Do you need planning permission for a small housing development in Waterlooville?
Whether you need planning permission depends on your house and its location in England. In England small schemes need full planning permission and may involve a section 106 agreement, the Community Infrastructure Levy, highways and drainage approvals, and biodiversity net gain where it applies.
Building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control service or a registered building control approver. The work is inspected at key stages, such as foundations, drainage and insulation, and a completion certificate is issued at the end.
We check this for your address before design work starts, so there are no surprises later.
What we handle
What we take care of:
- Design development and discharge of conditions
- Warranty and building control inspections
- Pre-construction cost plan
- Groundworks, roads and drainage
- House construction to building regulations
- Handover packs for each home
How long does it take?
Build time is typically 12 to 24 months depending on scheme size. Before that, surveys, drawings and approvals usually take 6 to 12 months, longer if the council asks for changes.
Building in Waterlooville
Commuter towns across the South East have many 1930s and post-war semis that suit rear extensions and hip-to-gable loft conversions.
If your home is in Waterlooville or close by in Havant, Emsworth and Portsmouth, a free home visit is the first step.
How it works
- 01
Survey and brief
We visit, discuss your ideas and budget, and survey the property or site at no cost.
- 02
Drawings and written quote
We prepare the design and give you a written, itemised quote with inclusions and exclusions.
- 03
Permissions sorted
Applications, building control and neighbour arrangements, all before the start date.
- 04
Build and sign-off
We run the build to a written programme and hand over the completion certificate.
Questions about small housing developments in Waterlooville
How much does a small housing development cost in Waterlooville?
In Waterlooville, a small housing development typically costs £2,000–£3,000 per m² of floor area (build cost), including VAT at 0% (zero-rated for qualifying new dwellings). A typical 400 m² project comes to roughly £800,000–£1,200,000. Your fixed price depends on the survey and drawings.
What about biodiversity net gain?
In England, biodiversity net gain rules apply to many developments, with exemptions for some small sites. We work with your ecologist to confirm what applies to your scheme.
Who approves a small housing development in Waterlooville?
Planning matters in Waterlooville go to the council covering your address, and the work needs building control approval. We prepare and submit the applications for you.
Who handles road adoption?
We build roads and sewers to adoptable standards where agreements are in place with the highway authority and water company.
Do you work with landowners?
Yes. If you own land, with or without planning permission, we can discuss building on it with you.
