Self-build or custom-build housing helps to diversify the housing market and increase consumer choice. Self-build and custom housebuilders choose the design and layout of their homes and they can be innovative in both design and construction.
In March 2015, the Government enacted legislation (The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016)) which requires Local Planning Authorities to maintain a Register of people who are seeking to acquire land to build their own homes. This informs these Local Planning Authorities of the level of demand for self-build and custom housing in their Local Authority area.
To establish the level of demand, the number of entries added to the Register during each base period is established (each base period is 12 months from 31 October - 30 October each year). At the end of each base period, Councils have three years to give permission for enough suitable plots of land to meet the demand on the Register for that base period.
Please note , that in order to meet this need, the permissions do not have to be given to those on the Register. There simply needs to be enough permissions given to match the number of plots needed on the Register.
Register your interest
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is interested in the level of demand for self-build and custom-build housing development in the Borough.
Self and custom build are defined as:
Self-build: projects where individuals or groups directly organise the design and construction of their new home(s).
Custom build: projects where individuals or groups work with a specialist developer to help deliver their new home(s).
There may be some overlap between the two – for example, some custom build developers offer the option of a serviced plot where you can design and build your own home as part of a larger scheme.
The Council is required to maintain a Register of those people interested in self or custom build homes in accordance with the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015.
Please note , the Register helps us to understand local demand and support decision-making where appropriate, but we do not match those on the Register to suitable plots of land as this is for the individual/organisation to research themselves. Planning Practice Guidance provides more information on self-build and custom housebuilding.
The simplest way of registering your interest in self or custom housebuilding is to complete the following form: Join the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register .
Please read the advice below, and ensure you meet the eligibility criteria, before completing the form:
Advice
At this stage, you are not making any commitment – the Council is just trying to find out how much local demand there is for self-build and custom build housing.
In preparing this Register, the Council is making no commitment to provide self-build or custom build plots.
In submitting the form, you are agreeing that the Council can use the data you provide to understand the demand for self-build and custom build housing in the Borough.
Personal details included on the Register will not be made public, but anonymised headline data extracted from it may be published (i.e. overall numbers of registered entries for various categories, geographical areas of interest, types of housing sought etc).
Your information will be used by the Council for strategic planning, information and statistical purposes.
Eligibility criteria
The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations 2016 has set out the following eligibility criteria for entry onto the Register. Each individual applicant, and every member of an association of individuals that applies for entry on the Register must meet all the eligibility criteria:
Be aged 18 years or over;
Be a British Citizen, a national of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom, or a national of Switzerland;
Be seeking (either alone or with others) to acquire a serviced plot of land in Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough for your own self-build and custom housebuilding project
Please note, a serviced plot of land is a plot of land that either has access to a public highway and has connections for electricity, water and waste water, or, in our opinion, can be provided with access to those things within the duration of a development permission granted in relation to that land. For more information, please refer to the Planning Practice Guidance .
Demand for self-build and custom housebuilding in the Borough
The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Monitoring Report (2026) is now available.
