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Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register

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Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register

Register of people who want to build their own home

The Council has a register of people (individuals and associations) who want to build their own home. This is the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register. The Council will use the register to gauge interest in self and custom build. We will contact people on the register if suitable land becomes available. 

The Council has introduced a two-part register, replacing the former one-part register. The two-part register is divided into part 1 and part 2.

Part 1 lists people who show that they have the financial resources to buy a plot in the borough and are long-term residents the borough.

Part 2 lists people who show that they have the financial resources to buy a plot in the borough, but are not long-term residents the borough.

To join the two-part register, applicants will need to:

  • demonstrate that they satisfy a number of eligibility conditions; and
  • pay an administration fee.

The Council's duties

The Council has some legal duties that apply to both parts of the register, and some duties that only apply to part 1. At present, the Council does not have any plans to go beyond its legal duties to assist self build.

Parts 1 and 2. The Council must consider both parts of the register when carrying out planning, housing, land disposal and regeneration functions. This means we must take account of the number of entries on the whole register when we:

  • draft planning policy documents (such as our Local Plan)
  • draft plans for regeneration of our housing estates
  • or decide to sell Council land.

Part 1 only. The Council must grant planning permission for development of enough suitable plots to meet the demand indicated by part 1 of the register. The land must be suitable for self-build or custom-housebuilding in general. However, it doesn't need to be provided to people on the register or to meet their particular requirements.

Applications to join the register

If you want to join the new register, please use our application form. It has been designed to guide you through the process and make sure you have included all the necessary information and evidence. You need to apply in writing, but you can send your application by email or by post. This is provided you include all the necessary information and evidence.

To apply you will need to provide all of the following:

  • your name and address
  • confirmation that you wish to buy land in the borough for your own self-build or custom housebuilding
  • a range of information and evidence to demonstrate that you satisfy the register's eligibility conditions.

To apply on behalf of an association, you will need to provide all of the following:

  • the same details as above, confirmation and evidence for each member included in the application
  • the name and address of the association
  • the name of a lead contact, with address if this is different from the association address
  • the number of plots the association requires.

Eligibility conditions (these apply to part 1 and part 2 of the register)

To be entered on either part of the register, you will need to show that you satisfy the following eligibility conditions:

  • you must be aged 18 or over
  • you must be a British citizen, a national of another EEA State or a national of Switzerland
  • you must have access to sufficient financial resources to acquire land valued at £360,000. This is the minimum likely cost of a self-build plot in Camden.

The application form tells you what information and evidence you need to provide to demonstrate that you satisfy each of the eligibility conditions.

If you are applying on behalf of an association, each member of the association will need to satisfy the conditions.

Additional eligibility condition that only applies to part 1 of the register

If you want to be entered on part 1 of the register, you will have to satisfy the following additional condition:

  • either you must have lived in the London Borough of Camden for at least five of the last seven years
  • or you must be currently in the service of the regular armed forces of the Crown, or have been formerly in the services no more than seven years ago.

Administration fee

  • the fee for entry onto part 1 of the register is £350.
  • the fee for entry onto part 2 of the register is £175.

Associations will need to pay a fee for each member they wish to include in their entry.
You will only be asked to pay the fee if we have processed your application and confirmed that you are eligible to join.

Privacy and personal information

The Council collects personal information from anyone who applies to be included on the register. Please read the Privacy Notice for the Camden Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register to find out how we will handle this personal information.

Impact on the former one-part register

The two-part register opened for applications in September 2018. We are no longer accepting applications to join the one-part register.

We have written to people on the one-part register and invited them to apply to join the two-part register. If you are on the one-part register and have not heard from us, please let us know at selfbuild@camden.gov.uk 

The new two-part register will wholly replace the one-part register by 30 October 2018. 

More information