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Self and custom-build housing typically involves individuals and/or groups designing and physically building a house for themselves or commissioning the construction of a new house from a builder, contractor, package company, whilst having input into the home's design. Sometimes developers offer the option of a serviced plot where individuals can design and build their own home as part of a larger scheme.
Serviced plots are ready to build on with all the infrastructure you need to start building your own home in place - water, gas, electricity, mains sewage, high-speed broadband and telephone, as well as access.
This type of plot tends to be on a larger site which has been divided into multiple individual plots by a developer. Sites usually have outline planning permission, but they often have detailed planning permission - with a condition of buying a plot including some parameters you must work within - usually known as a plot passport.
The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 requires that Councils:
The Housing and Planning Act 2016 place a duty on Councils to meet demand by granting 'development permissions' for enough serviced plots to meet demand on a rolling annual basis.
The register is a list which individuals or groups can join to record their interest with the Council that they are interested in building or commissioning their own home in the Borough. The register helps with informing the Council of the level of demand for self and custom build plots in the Borough. We shall use the information provided to explore ways in which it might be possible for people and plots to be brought together. The register is not a plot provision service however, and registration does not guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified, or become available.
The Government has issued Regulations about eligibility for entry on the register 
. An individual is eligible for entry on the register if that individual is:
If the applicant is a group or an association, each member of the association must complete the online form and fulfil the eligibility criteria.
In addition the Council has introduced a local connection test. This means that applicants who can demonstrate they have a local connection with the Borough, either through being a resident or by working in the Borough, will be entered on part one of the register. In line with the relevant regulations, those applicants on part one of the register will be counted toward the Council's need for self and custom build. Members of the armed forces and ex-service personnel who have left the armed forces in the last two years are also eligible for entry on part one of the register.
Therefore applicants must confirm whether they have:
Applicants who do not meet the local connection test will be registered on part two of the register, and those applicants will not count as part of Fareham's identified need for self and custom build. However the Council will still keep those applicants informed of any updates relating to self and custom build in the Borough.
Find Key Statistics from the Self and Custom Build Register here.
To register your interest in self and custom build in Fareham, please complete the online registration form.
We will not pass identifiable information from the Register on to anyone outside the Council without the written consent of the person who registered their details. From time to time we provide anonymised statistical data returns to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. We will provide information relating to relevant planning applications to registered applicants.
Please contact us via email at planningpolicy@fareham.gov.uk to notify us if your circumstances change or you wish to be deleted from the register.
As mentioned above, joining the Council's register helps us to understand the need in the Borough and provides evidence to developers to support inclusion of self and custom build in their developments and for the Council to permit sufficient permissions to meet this need. However, the register does not directly provide plots of land for self and custom build. Individual plots are often registered on websites such as:
amongst others, as well as local estate agents.
There is lots of support and information available relating to self-build and custom build at:
Other websites also provide project advice, such as:
If you are interested in group or community self build, the following websites may be useful:
In 2022 the government launched the Help to Build equity loan scheme to help aspiring homebuilders to finance their custom or self build development. Information on the eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on the Own Your Own Home website .
(15 MB) was adopted, which includes WEL21, a policy to provide 60 custom build dwellings at Welborne. (19 MB) was adopted which includes HP9, a self and custom build policy which requires developments of 40 homes or more to provide 10% as self or custom build plots.
For further assistance regarding self and custom build housing please contact the Planning Policy team on 01329 824326 or email planningpolicy@fareham.gov.uk.
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