Self-build and custom housebuilding

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is required to maintain a register of self-build and custom housebuilding interest. This register provides information on the demand for this type of housing.

The register is separated into two parts:

• Part 1 - for people with a local connection to the Borough (i.e. they live or work in the Great Yarmouth Borough) or an individual from the regular armed forces
• Part 2 - for people who do not have a local connection

Please note that the register covers only the parts of the Borough in the control of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Local Planning Authority (LPA) - this excludes those parts of the Borough within the Broads Authority (opens new window) National Park.

Registration does not guarantee that a suitable plot will become available for each individual listed on the register.

If you would like to know more about the self-build and custom housebuilding project, have any queries about registration, or would like a copy of the registration form sent to you, please contact our Planning team.

The current numbers of applications on the self-build and custom housebuilding register are:

The government is making funding available to help with the development of self-build and custom housebuilding. Please see the Help to Build: Making building your own home more affordable (opens new window) page on GOV.UK for further information.

There are various types of custom build projects including:

• Individual custom build - an individual purchases a plot of land and builds a house to live in. They may do some or all of the build themselves, or employ a builder, architect and in some cases, a project manager to oversee the build.
• Group custom build - a group of people come together to design and develop a custom build housing development which they then live in. They may build this themselves or with help from a developer to manage the project.
• Developer-led custom build - a developer divides a larger site into individual plots and provides a design and build service to purchasers. This gives people a chance to tailor an existing house design to suit their own preference and needs.

According to the Housing and Planning Act 2016:

'Self-build and custom housebuilding' means the building or completion by - 

(a) individuals
(b) associations of individuals, or
(c) persons working with or for individuals or associations of individuals,

of houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals.

But it does not include the building of a house on a plot acquired from a person who builds the house wholly or mainly to plans or specifications decided or offered by that person.

If you would like to register your interest, please complete our self-build and custom housebuilding registration form.

By registering, you are agreeing to the information you provide being shared with other departments in Great Yarmouth Borough Council. The information will be used to inform us of the demand for, and location of, plots which are needed. It will also inform our strategies for sites to be provided.

We will not pass identifiable information from the Register to anyone outside the Council without the written consent of the person who registered their details.

There is a duty on the Council to meet the demand level from Part 1 of the register, by identifying suitable planning permissions in terms of enough 'serviced plots of land'.

The plots must be provided within three years of the end of the base period in which the registration is received.