How to join the council's self-build register.
Councils are required to keep a register of people who have expressed an interest for self-build and/or custom build opportunities within their administrative area. This is part of the Government's drive to enable more people to build or commission their own home.
Councils also have a duty to grant enough planning permissions for serviced plots to meet the level of demand evidenced on the register. Please note this is not a duty however to provide a plot directly to each individual on the register.
Self-build involves the individual or association getting involved in or managing the construction of their new home.
In contrast, custom build involves the individual or association commissioning the construction of their home from a developer, builder, or package company. Whilst not getting involved in the construction, those going down the custom build route will have significant input into the design of their new home.
If you are interested in joining the council's register, then an application can be made using the application form below. Please read the Applicant Guidance Notes carefully before making your application.
Self-build and custom housebuilding application form
Entry to the register is restricted to those meeting a set of eligibility criteria:
The council has also chosen to apply a local connection test to the register. Whilst any applicants without a local connection can still join the register (subject to the other eligibility criteria being met), the council is only required to grant enough planning permissions for serviced plots to meet the need arising on the register from those with a local connection to South Staffordshire.
If you do not have a local connection to the district, you will be added to a separate register of interest held by the council (subject to you meeting the other eligibility criteria), which the authority will have regard to in plan-making.
This council charges an application fee of £12, due on submission of your application, to cover the cost for conducting this process.
Payment should be made online via the link below. Please select ‘Self and custom build register' in the first dropdown box and quote ‘Self build application'. Please then enter your postcode in the ‘Site Address' box so we can identify your payment.
Pay for my application
Further details of all of the above can be found in the Applicant Guidance Notes.
The main purpose of the register is to provide information on demand for self-build and custom housebuilding in the district. Please note that inclusion on the register does not automatically provide the applicant with a plot, and planning permission will still be required. Any subsequent planning application for self/custom build housing will need to be in accordance with the South Staffordshire Development Plan.
The Strategic Planning Team manages and maintains a register of persons who have an interest in local planning documents (Local Plan Database); those who wish to register their interest or land for future development on our Self and Custom Build Register and/or Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA); those who have commented on emerging Council strategy documents; and information regarding historic home improvement grants and empty properties. In order to do this in an effective way we will need to collect and use personal information about you. For more information about how we process this data see Strategic Planning Team - Data Protection.
