Self-build and custom house-building register

The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 places a duty on local councils in England to establish and have regard to a register of people who are interested in self-build or custom build projects in their area. Hastings Borough Council has therefore established a Register to gauge levels of local demand for self-build or custom built homes within the Borough. The register will provide the Council with information about where people are looking for a plot and the type of house they intend to build.

What is the difference between self-build and custom built homes?

Self-build and custom built homes are very similar. Self-build projects are typically where individuals or groups of individuals directly undertake or organise the design and construction of their new home. This may also include the self-builder arranging for an architect or contractor to build their homes for them, or projects that are delivered by kit home companies. Community-led projects may also be defined as self-build as often members of the community may organise or undertake quite a bit if the construction work for themselves.

Custom build homes tend to be where an individual or group of individuals employ a specialist developer to deliver the home and can involve everything from sourcing a site, to managing the finance and build process to final completion. This method is a more hands-off approach but homes can still be tailored to individual requirements.

Application onto the Register

To register your interest in a self-build or custom built plot as an individual or as an 'association of individuals', please complete our custom and self build online form.

A successful application entitles the individual to be entered on the Register and does not guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified or become available.

A PDF version of the online form for 'associations of individuals' has been provided for information purposes only. The lead contact will need to complete and submit the online form. 

Please note that this Register only relates to the Hastings Borough. Rother District Council have their own register and you should contact them directly if you are interested in a plot within the Rother District, at www.rother.gov.uk 

Important information about the Register and it's use

The Register will be used to inform future updates of the Hastings Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) which identifies the quantity of future local housing need over the local plan period and the range of tenures that the local population is likely to require, including people wishing to build their own homes.

Hastings Borough Council will determine applications for entry in the register within 28 days of the application being received. The Council will notify you as an individual or the lead contact of an association as to whether your application was been successful or not.

The Register will not be published, however headline figures, such as the number of successful entries on the register, the number and location of serviced plots of land sought may be published in the Local Plan Monitoring Report.

Consultation took place 3 September to 15 October 2018 on proposed changes to the self-build and custom housebuilding register criteria.  

Further Support

Further support and information for self-build or custom build projects is available on the Governments dedicated online resource.

The Self Build Portal
National Custom and Self Build Association