Self-build and custom housebuilding

There are a number of ways to find a self or custom housebuilding plot. You can look at:

• Local and online estate agents. Some plots of land are often advertised as suitable for self-build
• Specialist online self-build plot finders
• Specialist self and custom build developers
• Our published weekly lists of planning decisions You may want to contact the applicant to see whether a site for planning permissions will be marketed for sale
• Neighbourhood plans for the parish areas you are interested in to see if they have any sites allocated for self and custom build or give general support to it in their policies. You can see which Neighbourhood Development Plans include policies on self and custom build in our Authority monitoring reports
• Contacting Community Land Trusts and Community Led Housing projects about the possibility of a group self-build

If you are registered on the Self-build and custom housebuilding register we may also inform you of any information and opportunities that we are made aware of. However, it should be noted that the purpose of the register, as set out in legislation, is to provide the council with an indication of the overall level of demand for self and custom build in the county.

Financing a self-build project

You may be able to get a government backed loan to cover part of the cost financial help from the government to buy a home. This is called a Help to Build Equity Loan.

You may also like to consider becoming involved with a group such as a community land trust or a local community led housing scheme.

Planning permission and building control approval for build your own home

Any proposals for self-build or custom housebuilding will require planning permission and building control approval in the same way as other housing and will be subject to all relevant planning policies. Visit our pre-application planning advice service which we encourage you to use if you would like to discuss your self-build or custom housebuilding proposal with us.

Most developments are now required to provide 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), however, self and custom build applications are exempt from the mandatory BNG requirements if they meet all the following conditions:

1. Consists of no more than 9 dwellings
2. On a site that has an area no larger than 0.5 hectares
3. Consists exclusively of dwellings that are self-build or custom housebuilding as defined in Section 1(A1) of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015

More details on BNG can be found on our BNG page and the government has provided guidance on BNG for developers.

Local plan and neighbourhood development plan policies on self or custom build

We are updating the local plan and we will include policies to encourage more self and custom build opportunities in the county. In terms of deciding planning applications, Government Guidance states that the self and custom build registers are likely to be material consideration in decisions involving proposals for self and custom housebuilding. That is particularly the case if the demand on the register is not met through the granting of planning permissions.

Some Neighbourhood plans include policies about self and custom build. Some of these are general policies that support this type of housing development whilst some refer to specific locations for self and custom build housing.