Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan

Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding

What will the policy do?

The policy supports the Government's intention to significantly increase self-build and custom-build housing by supporting proposals for individual plots and small sites for self and custom build homes which are located and designed in a way which meets the requirements of other policies in the plan.

Why is this policy needed?

The government introduced legislation and regulations under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023) that require local authorities to maintain a register of individuals and associations (groups of individuals) seeking to acquire serviced plots of land for their own self-build and custom house building The Government's intention is that there should be a significant increase in self-build and custom housebuilding (see Glossary for definition).

The Council is required to grant planning permission for enough plots to meet the demand, as evidenced by the number of people added to Part 1 of its Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register in each 12-month base period. The quantified demand identified in each base period should be met by planning permissions granted in the three years following the end of a base period. Monitoring of the register and through the Authority Monitoring Report shows that the Council has met the requirement in all but one of the base periods since the register was started. Overall, there have been more suitable permissions granted than people added to Part 1 of the register. As at 31^st October 2023, there were 33 individuals/associations on this part of the Council's Register. However, the HMA 2023 identifies a continuing demand for plots in the County and emphasises the need for a specific policy.

Communities preparing neighbourhood plans will also be encouraged to consider the identification of sites specifically for self and custom-build projects within their neighbourhood plan area.

The Council will encourage the provision of serviced self-build plots as part of larger development sites (30-49 dwellings) and will require a minimum of 2% on sites over 50 or more dwellings. In deciding the location and scale of serviced plots on larger development sites developers are encouraged to consider the practicalities, attractiveness and deliverability of the self-build plots in relation to the market development and the impact that self-build development can have on health and safety compliance during site construction and the impact of self-build construction on the construction of market development phases; in particular regard will need to be given to the impact of development where occupants have already moved in.

It is important that the policy approach is flexible and accounts for challenges associated with self-build and custom housebuilding. Consideration must be given to viability around delivering self and custom build plots on larger private schemes and the impact that self-build development can have on health and safety and compliance issues during site construction, or the potential negative impacts of significantly extending the construction phase on large sites; particularly where occupants have already moved in. The policy therefore provides a degree of flexibility to recognise these constraints and where it is evidenced, that the plots have been made available and marketed and priced appropriately for at least 12 months, serviced plots may be built out as conventional market housing or for affordable housing by the developer. It is important that it is evidenced that plots have been appropriately marketed in local estate agents and through specialist custom build agents such as Buildstore and Plotsearch.

Supporting Evidence

Authority Monitoring Report 2022-23
Housing Market Assessment (August 2023).
House - How putting customers in charge can change everything, Richard Bacon, MP, 2021.