In the heart of Exmoor, Josh and Megan have built a home on a small plot of land that has been in Josh’s family for generations.
The land, once used by his grandfather as a vegetable patch and for rearing calves, has been considered as a potential building plot for years. But it was through Exmoor Young Voices that Josh and Megan began exploring what might actually be possible.
Finding a way to stay on Exmoor
Exmoor Young Voices works to help young people continue living and working in the area, where high property prices and limited local opportunities can make staying difficult.
Through the group, Josh and Megan began conversations with Exmoor National Park about the possibility of building an affordable home on the family land.
“We thought, well, let’s have a conversation. And that’s where the conversation started and then went from there,” Josh explains.
After securing planning permission, they could begin turning the idea into a home.
The challenges of financing a self build
The property has a local affordable housing tie and Section 106 agreement, helping to ensure it remains affordable for people with a local connection.
However, Josh and Megan found that these restrictions also made financing the build more complicated.
“You can get self-build mortgages or Section 106 mortgages, but you can’t seem to get a self-build mortgage with a Section 106,” Josh explains.
Through Exmoor Young Voices, the couple were introduced to Lendology and learnt about a self-build loan supported by Somerset Council.
For Josh and Megan, it provided another way to fund the work and continue with the build.
Building their family home
Their new home is being constructed using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), with concrete poured between layers of insulation to form the structure of the property.
Since work began, the house has gradually taken shape. The walls and upper floor have been built, the roof has gone on and the couple have secured permission to use high-quality flush casement uPVC windows instead of the timber windows originally specified.
The build remains very much a family effort, with relatives helping with work including flooring, electrics and plumbing.
And behind the practical decisions is a very personal reason for taking on the project.
“Our little boy has been a big thing in every decision we’ve made and even doing this in the first place, so that we could give him the life that we wanted him to have,” Megan says.
Support through the process
Josh and Megan describe their experience of applying for their Lendology loan as straightforward, particularly compared with some of the other stages involved in getting their self-build off the ground.
“We just felt really supported and guided through the process,” Megan says.
“The application itself was really easy compared to a lot of what we’ve been doing.”
They also valued having someone they could contact when questions arose during the build.
“With Lendology it’s always been smooth sailing really,” Josh adds.
Alongside their self-build loan, Josh and Megan are also receiving grant support from Somerset Council towards completing their home.
For them, the project is about much more than constructing a new house. It is an opportunity to remain on Exmoor, build a home connected to Josh’s family land and create a place where they hope their family can put down roots for years to come.
Watch the video to hear Josh and Megan tell their story in their own words.
About Exmoor Young Voices
Exmoor Young Voices is a charity working to help young people continue living and working on Exmoor.
The group was formed in response to some of the challenges facing younger residents in the area, including the affordability of local housing and access to employment. It works with organisations including local councils, Exmoor National Park and housing associations to make sure young people’s experiences are heard and to explore practical ways of addressing those challenges.
“We’re here to firstly listen to their issues and the concerns they have and then make sure their voices are heard,” Megan explains.
For Josh and Megan, Exmoor Young Voices played an important part in their own self-build journey, helping to start conversations around affordable self-build opportunities and connecting them with the organisations involved in making their project possible.
Exmoor Young Voices was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2024.
We recommend that you conduct an independent retrofit assessment to determine which works may be suitable for your property, circumstances, and budget
Representative Example (4% fixed interest rate, Representative 4.2% APR)
Borrow £5,000 over 60 months, £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96. Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction. A Title Restriction means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is not a mortgage. Missing payments could affect your credit rating.