What is One Planet Development?

One Planet Development (OPD) is a Welsh planning policy that allows people to build homes in the countryside if they live sustainably. It aims to shrink each person’s ecological footprint to a “one planet” level – no more than 1.88 global hectares per person – and requires homes to be “zero carbon” (built with sustainable materials and powered by renewable energy). OPD also promotes managing land in eco-friendly ways to restore local ecosystems and supports rural livelihoods by helping people make a living from their land.

This policy tackles climate change, access to affordable housing and nature loss while proving that people can live well within the Earth’s limits. Within five years, an OPD household must meet all its basic needs from its land or from income it generates; this includes providing food, energy, water, and waste management, and earning enough from land based on-site work to cover essentials like clothing, phone/internet, travel, and council tax. At least 65% of their food must come from the land (with at least 30% grown on-site and the rest bought or bartered using farm income). Annual reporting also has to evidence that each person’s ecological footprint falls to 1.88 global hectares or less within 5 years. Take a look at the video below for a detailed introduction to the policy. We also recommend joining the One Planet Council Facebook group which can be found here. 

How much does it normally cost?

As you might expect, the cost of purchasing land and establishing a home with supporting infrastructure can vary significantly depending on your approach and priorities. Over time, New Rural Roots hopes to make it easier for individuals to access ethical mortgage finance to help cover the costs of land purchase and development.

At the higher end, some individuals choose to build PassivHaus-certified homes—extremely energy-efficient buildings that require no central heating and are designed to rigorous environmental standards.

At the lower end, some households have opted to build “Caravan Act” homes—structures that qualify as mobile homes under the Caravan Sites Act. These can cost as little as £20,000 to build, yet still accommodate three or four bedrooms. They also do not require Building Control approval, which can help reduce complexity and costs.

If you’re interested in exploring this route, you can see an example of a company that designs and supplies prefabricated Caravan Act homes here. For a better understanding of the typical costs and infrastructure of successful OPD smallholdings, we recommend having a look at the survey of OPD's at the bottom of this page.