SELF-BUILD
Planning your own home
Building your own home can provide an opportunity to create a property specifically designed around the way you want to live.
But finding a suitable plot and securing planning permission can often be the most difficult part of the process.
A potential self-build site might be found within a large garden, on infill land, at the edge of a village, on previously developed land or on another small parcel of land where residential development could be appropriate.
Understanding the planning position early is important.
SWAP helps landowners and prospective self-builders assess development opportunities, understand planning constraints and establish the most appropriate route towards securing permission for a new home.
WHAT IS SELF-BUILD HOUSING?
Self-build generally involves an individual or household commissioning a home intended for their own occupation.
That does not necessarily mean physically constructing the house yourself.
A self-builder might:
Purchase a plot
Secure planning permission
Appoint an architect
Employ a contractor
Use a specialist housebuilder
Manage parts of the construction themselves
The important distinction is that the home is being developed to meet the requirements of the person who ultimately intends to occupy it.
HOW DO I FIND A SELF-BUILD PLOT?
Potential self-build opportunities can appear in many forms.
These might include:
Large gardens
Side gardens
Infill plots
Backland sites
Village-edge land
Paddocks
Former commercial land
Redundant buildings
Small parcels of agricultural land
A piece of land does not need to be advertised specifically as a self-build plot to have potential.
Sometimes the opportunity is created by identifying land where a carefully considered new dwelling could be acceptable in planning terms.
CAN I BUILD A HOUSE ON LAND I ALREADY OWN?
Potentially.
Owning the land does not itself create a right to build on it, but it can provide an opportunity worth investigating.
The planning position will depend on matters such as:
Location
Local planning policy
Settlement boundaries
Surrounding development
Access
Site characteristics
Flood risk
Trees
Ecology
Heritage
Planning history
The first stage should normally be to understand the development potential of the land before spending significant money designing the house.
DO I NEED PLANNING PERMISSION FOR A SELF-BUILD HOUSE?
Yes, a new self-build dwelling will normally require planning permission.
The important question is therefore which planning route is most appropriate.
Depending on the circumstances, this could involve:
Pre-application advice
Permission in Principle
Outline planning permission
Full planning permission
Not every route will be available or appropriate for every site.
The planning strategy should reflect the location, proposal and particular planning risks involved.
WHAT IS THE SELF-BUILD REGISTER?
Local authorities in England maintain registers of individuals and associations seeking serviced plots of land on which to build their own homes.
Joining the relevant register can help demonstrate local demand for self-build and custom housebuilding.
However, being on a self-build register does not itself give somebody planning permission or guarantee that a particular piece of land will be approved for development.
For somebody considering a self-build project, the register can nevertheless form part of the wider planning context and is worth understanding early.
CAN SELF-BUILD HELP WITH PLANNING PERMISSION?
Potentially, but it should not be treated as a way of bypassing normal planning policy.
The demand and policy support for self-build and custom housebuilding can be relevant when planning applications are considered.
How much weight this carries will depend on the circumstances, including the development plan, local evidence and the characteristics of the particular site.
A strong self-build planning case therefore still needs to address the normal planning considerations affecting the land.
CAN I BUILD A SELF-BUILD HOUSE OUTSIDE A SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY?
Potentially, but sites outside defined settlements can be considerably more challenging.
Planning policies often seek to direct new housing towards particular locations and restrict general residential development in the countryside.
That does not necessarily mean every site outside a settlement boundary is incapable of development.
The planning position may depend on:
The particular policies applying
Relationship with the settlement
Existing pattern of development
Accessibility
Local housing circumstances
Self-build considerations
Landscape effects
Other material considerations
These sites should be assessed individually rather than assuming that describing a proposal as self-build will overcome a fundamental policy objection.
CAN I BUILD A SELF-BUILD HOUSE IN MY GARDEN?
Potentially.
Large gardens can sometimes provide suitable self-build plots.
The planning authority will consider matters including:
Character of the area
Plot size
Access
Relationship with neighbouring properties
Garden sizes
Parking
Trees
Ecology
Drainage
Design
If the site has development potential, the existing owner might build the new home themselves or potentially create a plot that can be sold to another self-builder.
CAN I BUY LAND WITHOUT PLANNING PERMISSION FOR SELF-BUILD?
Yes, but doing so can involve considerable risk.
Land without residential planning permission may be substantially cheaper precisely because there is uncertainty over whether a house can be built.
Before purchasing land for self-build, it can therefore be sensible to investigate:
Planning policy
Planning history
Access
Development capacity
Flood risk
Ecology
Trees
Services
Title and rights
Other constraints
Depending on the transaction, it may also be possible to structure a purchase so that completion is dependent on an appropriate planning outcome.
Specialist legal advice should be obtained before agreeing terms.
SELF-BUILD PLANNING GUIDES
How Do I Get Planning Permission for a Self-Build House?
Understand the planning process for a self-build home, from assessing a potential plot through to choosing the appropriate planning application.
What Is the Self-Build Register?
Understand how local self-build registers work, who can join and what being registered actually means when looking for land or seeking planning permission.
Does Being on the Self-Build Register Help With Planning Permission?
Explore how evidence of self-build demand can affect the planning case and why being registered does not automatically make an unsuitable site acceptable.
Can I Build a Self-Build House Outside a Settlement Boundary?
Understand the planning issues affecting self-build sites on village edges and in the countryside.
Can I Build a Self-Build House in My Garden?
Find out whether a large garden or part of a residential property could provide a plot for a self-build home.
What Is CIL Relief for Self-Build Homes?
Understand how self-build Community Infrastructure Levy relief can work, why it can be financially significant and why the correct process and timing matter.
WHAT SHOULD I CHECK BEFORE BUYING A SELF-BUILD PLOT?
Do not assess a plot purely on whether a house physically fits.
Before purchasing, consider:
Planning
Is there a credible case for residential development?
Access
Can the site be safely and legally accessed?
Constraints
Are flooding, trees, ecology, heritage or other issues likely to restrict development?
Design
Can a good home actually be accommodated while respecting neighbouring properties and the surrounding area?
Services
How practical will it be to connect the development?
Legal
Are there covenants, rights, easements or title issues that could affect development?
Cost
Does the overall project remain viable once the land, construction, professional fees and infrastructure are considered?
A cheap plot can become an expensive mistake if one of these issues is discovered too late.
SHOULD I BUY A PLOT WITH OR WITHOUT PLANNING PERMISSION?
Both can work.
A plot with planning permission provides substantially more certainty about residential development but may command a higher land price.
Buying land without permission can potentially provide greater upside, but you are accepting more planning risk.
There is also a middle ground.
A site might have:
Initial feasibility work
Positive planning history
Pre-application advice
Permission in Principle
Outline permission
Each provides a different level of planning certainty.
The appropriate option depends on your appetite for risk, budget and what you want to achieve.
SHOULD I DESIGN THE HOUSE BEFORE FINDING THE PLOT?
Usually, the site should come first.
It is perfectly reasonable to have ideas about the type of home you want.
But the eventual architecture should respond to:
The plot
Planning policy
Orientation
Views
Access
Neighbours
Landscape
Trees
Levels
Local character
Trying to force a predetermined house onto an unsuitable plot can make planning considerably more difficult.
A stronger approach is to understand what the site wants to become and then design the home around that opportunity.
HOW SHOULD I APPROACH A SELF-BUILD PROJECT?
A sensible sequence might be:
1. Identify the site
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2. Investigate the planning position
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3. Understand the principal constraints
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4. Establish whether a credible house can be accommodated
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5. Decide the planning strategy
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6. Develop the architectural design
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7. Commission the necessary technical work
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8. Apply for planning permission
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9. Progress towards technical design and construction
Not every project will follow exactly the same route.
The important thing is to avoid committing substantial money before the major risks are understood.
SWAP VIEW
For self-builders, the temptation is often to start with the house.
We would start with the land.
Before designing kitchens, elevations or floor plans, we want to know whether there is a credible planning case, whether the site can actually accommodate a good home and what could prevent it being developed.
That is particularly important where somebody is considering buying land without planning permission.
Our approach combines planning, architecture and development advice, allowing the planning strategy and eventual house design to evolve together.
The objective is not simply to obtain permission for a house.
It is to create a good, deliverable self-build opportunity.
THINKING ABOUT BUILDING YOUR OWN HOME?
If you own land, have found a potential plot or are considering buying land for a self-build project, SWAP can help assess the opportunity before you commit significant money.
We can review the planning position, development potential and constraints, advise on the appropriate planning strategy and develop the architectural proposal through to planning.
Send us the site address or location, a plan or property listing if you have one, and a brief description of what you're considering.