YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

FAQs about holiday home builds & ownership at Silverlake, Dorset

quick search for FAQS
useful information

About the Silverlake Estate & Habitat First Group

What is Habitat First Group’s history?

Habitat First Group has been operating for over 25 years, first starting with Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds, before purchasing Silverlake, Dorset in 2012. Deanesly Point is Habitat First Group’s sixth village at Silverlake and is the thirteenth village for the Group.

How long will you be building for?

To date, a village has been completed every two years, and the rate of sale depends on market conditions.

What’s the ratio of protected/wildlife area to building area?

Villages and facilities account for around 1/3 of the Estate, leaving 2/3 being retained for wildlife, woodlands and heaths.

Are there any restrictions in the length of time that you can stay in the property?

You are welcome to use your holiday home for 365 days a year to enjoy the Silverlake lifestyle and facilities, but you must have a principal primary residence.

Where is the Silverlake Estate?

The Silverlake Estate is set in stunning Dorset, just 20 minutes from the Jurassic Coast, a recognised World Heritage Site. Set just outside of the village of Crossways near Dorchester, the estate is easily reached by road and by train, with Moreton train station just 1.5 miles away.

Full address: Silverlake, Warmwell Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8GH – visit Google Maps for directions.

useful information

Investment

How much is the service charge at Silverlake and what is the breakdown?

The 2024 split for Shepperd’s View service charge is circa £5000 + VAT and the Estate premium is £2000 + VAT, subject to RPI year-on-year.


The split for Deanesly Point is circa £2945 + VAT and the Estate premium is £2000 + VAT, subject to RPI year-on-year.


The service charge covers and includes the day-to-day management, health and safety, and security as well as ongoing maintenance and repairs for the communal areas and facilities on the estate. For Shepperd’s View plots, this includes the Hurricane Spa.


The Estate Premium is an annual fee as stipulated in the land purchase contract that helps to maintain Habitat First Group's investment interest in the property, for the provision of facilities and services moving forward. The service charge is a non-profit making pot; what goes in goes out, and if there is a surplus at the end of the year, a credit is returned to the owners. A sinking fund also helps pay for big-ticket items.


In conjunction with the Estate premium, there is also a Conservation Charge (circa £65). This is a fund to contribute towards local conservation and community projects in accordance with the agreement.

Can we purchase our Silverlake holiday home through a limited company?

Yes, the property can be purchased through a limited company. Please seek advice from a trusted source.

How much are boat and canoe stores?

Canoe stores are available from £23,000 + VAT and boat stores from £38,000 + VAT. Rental of each is available from £3,000 and £5,000 PA respectively.

What kind of ROI can you make from holiday home rentals at Silverlake?

This depends on several factors, such as how often you want to use the property, particularly during peak season. For example, a mixed-use (personal and rental) 4-bed property might achieve in the region of £50,000 per annum. We would be happy to prepare a projection for your preferred plot and design.

Can we let out our holiday home straight away?

This depends on the location of the property and how much construction surrounds it. Typically, we allow bookings at weekends for heavy construction areas to begin with. If a property is in the last phase of a village, this means it can be rented out sooner. Shepperd’s View presents an ideal opportunity for those looking to recoup quickly on their investment.

Will Silverlake’s holiday homes be exempt from the second council tax?

Habitat First Group has been liaising with Dorset Council regarding their proposals to apply a 100% Council Tax premium for second homes, under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, c.55 Section 80. The Government has proposed an exception to Council Tax premiums for holiday homes, as set out in its July/August 2023 consultation.

Our understanding is that regulations will be put in place to prescribe exceptions to the Council Tax premiums and that guidance will be issued to Billing Authorities shortly.

Habitat First Group believes it is the right conclusion that homes restricted to holiday use are an exception and not subject to increased Council Tax. Therefore, it endorses the Government's proposed exception to the Council Tax premium for homes restricted to holiday use.

The group has requested reassurance from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, via constituency MPs, that this exception is established in the forthcoming regulations.

Is there a homeowners’ community that takes an active role in how the Service charge is used?

There is a homeowner representative group at Silverlake who meets with the Estate team on a quarterly basis to run through service charge management and future ambitions for Silverlake.

Are Silverlake holiday homes fully mortgageable?

There are a range of finance options for a holiday home at Silverlake. We would be happy to recommend a broker with many years of experience working with holiday homeowners at Silverlake so that you can explore the options.

Are Silverlake holiday homes exempt from stamp duty?

Additional stamp duty rates for holiday homes in England are on top of the standard stamp duty rates set by the government, and vary depending on the value of the home you’re purchasing. The percentage of additional payable stamp duty is currently 3% for holiday homes worth up to £250,000 and 8% for properties worth between £250,000 and £925,000.

A huge benefit of buying a holiday home at Silverlake is that with our holiday home plots and builds, you only pay stamp duty on the land purchase and therefore there is no additional stamp duty to pay.

How can I get bookings for my Silverlake holiday home?

Should you wish to generate some additional income and let out your holiday home to guests, we can also cover that for you with marketing and holiday let management through Habitat Escapes, the official holiday company for Silverlake, Dorset and Lower Mill Estate.

The services on offer at Habitat Escapes can cover all aspects of holiday let management for a hassle-free experience, including managing changeovers, taking bookings, organising housekeeping and marketing your property to ensure it receives bookings year-round. Find out more about holiday letting with Habitat Escapes.

useful information

Lifestyle

Which spas at Silverlake will we have access to?

If you purchase a plot or resale within the first five villages - Beaumont Village, Wakeling Island, Overton Island, Baxter’s Rise or Shepperd’s View - you will have membership to the Hurricane Spa.

Homeowners in Deanesly Point and future villages will have the option to purchase an annual membership to the new Silverlake Lido, which is due to complete in 2026.

How do we make the most of the activities at Silverlake?

You are able to purchase an annual membership to The Activity Hub, which will mean you can use bikes, canoes and paddleboards at your leisure, with no need to change equipment as your family grows.

Will more facilities be added to the Silverlake Estate in the future?

We are always developing new facilities for our holiday homeowners and their guests. This year, we will open a series of new activities including boules, a football/golf net with a speed gun, volleyball, bike track and an area for children's games.

Next year, there will be a new attraction in Knighton Heath Woods, in recognition of our heritage, whilst 2026 will see the stunning Silverlake Lido open, complete with restaurant, outdoor heated pool, hydrothermal experiences and spa treatment pods.

There are also new facilities planned for Osprey Island at Deanesly Point, including a beach, playground, picnic area, Activity Hub and shop.

useful information

Your Build

Can we use our own builders on a Silverlake holiday home plot?

We advise using one of our recommended build partners. One of our partners Conservation Builders Ltd, has built over 500 homes at Habitat First Group Developments over the previous 20 years.

When building with CBL, properties will include a full 10-year NHBC warranty and a 2-year builder's warranty from CBL starting from the issue date of the certificate. CBL are based on-site and easily contactable if needed.

What is included with a Silverlake holiday home as standard outside of bespoke options?

New regulation larger property designs include fibre to the property, air source heat pumps, underfloor heating throughout, V+B sanity wear, Siemens appliances, fully fitted kitchen with Silestone worksurfaces and aluminium glazing units.


The Retreat includes photovoltaic panels, EV charger and Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR), but does not include an air source heat pump.

Can the holiday home design be amended/adjusted within the plot boundary to be made larger?

The designs are set by their planning; there are sometimes options to look at orientations and design substitutions on plots. These have to be drawn by an architect and would require returning to planning. The property designs are subject to planning permission, building and sustainability regulations.


Occasionally there is capacity to make revisions, but the costs of any redesign would be payable by the client.

Can the internal rooms be bespoke/amended from the original design?

Architects, building regulators, and planners might need to be involved, so this could be an option. However, these requests are not always approved.

Is it possible to enclose our Silverlake garden?

CBL, our recommended builders, can offer an array of sensitive approaches to enclosing your garden at the bespoke stage.