Self-build & Custom Housebuilding
The Government and Barrow Borough Council want to enable more people to build their own home.
The terms 'self-build' and 'custom-build' are used to describe situations where individuals or groups are involved in creating their own home. The amount of personal involvement will vary. Some self-builders physically build all or part of a home themselves, some commission an architect to manage their project or a developer may find a site and then seek a number of self-build clients and build their homes to their specification under contract.
Self-build Homes
Self-build describes projects where the people involved play a very significant part in the process. They may help to organise the project, commission an architect or builder, or do some of the construction or finishing off work too. Self-building does not necessarily mean picking up the bricks and physically getting stuck in - most self-builders will be involved in the creative side of the process.
Custom-build Homes
Custom-build describes a more 'hands-off' approach where a specialist developer co-ordinates the whole process for the people involved.
Self-build & Custom Housebuilding Register
Local Planning Authorities in England and Wales are required under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 to keep a register of persons seeking to acquire land to build a home.
The Council is compiling a register of people who might be interested in self-build or custom-build. If the Council becomes aware of land that may be suitable it will contact those who have expressed an interest.
In preparing this register, we are making no commitment to provide self-build or custom-build plots. The register will not be a public document, but we may publish headline data from it annually.
To register please complete the Self-Build & Custom Housebuilding Registration Form and return it:
• By post to: Planning Policy Team, Barrow Borough Council, Town Hall, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LD
• By email to: developmentplans@barrowbc.gov.uk
Self-Build & Custom Housebuilding Registration Form - PDF
Self-Build & Custom Housebuilding Registration Form - Word Document
Additional Information
Additional information on self-build homes is available through The Self Build Portal which provides encouragement and advice to people who want to build their own home.
Information about funding opportunities for community led projects is available from The Homes and Communities Agency.
Further advice on self and custom builds is available at BuildStore Ltd, they also have a free register of available sites.
Contact Planning Policy
• Address: Planning Policy Team, Barrow Borough Council, Town Hall, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LD
• Email: developmentplans@barrowbc.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01229 876341