Self-build and custom housebuilding

The Government wants to enable more people to build or commission their own home.

What is self-build housing?

Self-build housing usually means that you are directly involved in organising, designing and constructing your new home.

Community-led projects and groups can also work together to develop a self-build scheme.

The self-build and custom housebuilding register

We have a duty to keep a self-build and custom housebuilding register.

View the legislation, Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 [external link].

To apply to be on the register you must meet set criteria.

To be entered onto part 1 of the register you must:

be aged 18 or over;
be a British citizen, a national of an EEA state other than the United Kingdom, or a national of Switzerland;
satisfy the conditions set out below regarding Local Eligibility Criteria;
have paid any fee required by the relevant authority (see below);
be seeking (either alone or with others) to acquire a service plot of land in Darlington Borough for your own self-build and custom housebuilding project.

Local Eligibility Criteria

You must be able to prove that:

you have been living in the Borough of Darlington for three consecutive years; or
you have previously lived in Darlington Borough for 3 consecutive years within the past 10 years; or
you are currently employed in Darlington Borough and have been for the past 12 consecutive months**; or
you are currently self-employed, with an ongoing viable venture where work is within the Borough, and have been for the past 12 consecutive months.

*Regular armed forces are exempt from this stipulation including once they have left the armed forces for a period equal to the length of the longest of any periods required by the test (see ‘The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations 2016’, reg 5(3)).

**Self-employment must be more than 16 hours per week and where working hours fluctuate, an average will be taken over 12 months.

There is a £50 fee to be entered onto the register and a £25 annual fee to remain on the register for each year after that.

If you do not meet the Local Eligibility Criteria or do not wish to pay the required fee you can apply to be on Part 2 of the register.

However, the Council has no duty to provide you with details of suitable sites.

Where can I make a payment?

In person

Customer Contact Centre, Town Hall
Darlington Borough Council
DL1 5QT

By phone

Call 01325 405777 and quote 'Self Build Register'.