Register of Interest in Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding

Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register

As required by legislation, the Council has a register for people who are seeking to buy a serviced plot of land in East Cambridgeshire District Council’s administrative area for the purpose of building their own home.

The Government has issued Regulations about eligibility for entry on the register. An individual is eligible for entry on the register if that individual is:

  • Aged 18 or over
  • A British citizen, a national of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom, or a national of Switzerland
  • Seeking (either alone or with others) to acquire a serviced plot of land in the relevant authority’s area to build a house to occupy as that individual’s sole or main residence

In addition, and as permitted by the regulations, East Cambridgeshire District Council also require the following in order to be entered on the register:

  • Pay a registration fee to the council of £23.00
  • If you want to be entered on Part 1 of the register, you must meet the local connection test (set out below)

If the applicant is a group or an association, each member must fulfil the eligibility criteria and must each pay a £23.00 registration fee.

What is the benefit of being on ‘Part 1’ of the Register?

Part 1 of the register comprises those people and organisations who meet all of the eligibility criteria, including the local connection test. Part 2 comprises those people and organisations who meet all the eligibility criteria, apart from the local connection test.

To you as an individual or association, there is no direct benefit to being on ‘Part 1’. However, the Council has a duty to facilitate the provision of enough service plots of land to meet the demand for the number of applicants on Part 1 of their register within a three year period.

Registration on either Part 1 or Part 2 does not however guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified, or become available.

What is the local connection test?

In order to meet the local connection test, you will need to:

  • Currently live, or have lived within the East Cambridgeshire District Council authority area for either six of the last 12 months or three of the last five years; or
  • Currently work within the East Cambridgeshire authority area; or
  • Have an immediate family member living within the East Cambridgeshire authority area (Immediate family means a parent, child, or sibling, or another family member if there is a particularly close relationship); or
  • Be in service of the regular or reserve armed forces of the Crown or have applied within five years of discharge, and would have met any of the above at the date of commencing service

Fees

An initial registration fee of £23.00 applies to all applicants. In an association, each member must pay the £23.00 fee.

An annual fee of £23.00 per applicant, along with an updated registration form, to confirm continued eligibility, will be required to be submitted by 30 October each year from new and existing applicants to the register. Each September we will send a registration form to all those who are currently on the register.

New applications to the register can be made at any time throughout the year, but all applicants before 1 September each year will be required to re-register and pay a further registration fee by the 30 October each year in order to remain on the register, regardless of when they last registered.    

Registering your interest in Custom and Self Build

Having read the guidance and criteria rules set out above, if you would like to be placed on the register, please make payment and complete the relevant registration form, which can be found below, and email it to Sally Bonnett, or post to: Custom and Self Build Register, Sally Bonnett, East Cambridgeshire District Council, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4EE.

How to pay

You can pay online using our online application form above, or you can pay your £23.00 per person registration fee:

  • Online banking or BACS
    Pay via Online banking or BACS to the Councils bank account
    Sort Code: 52-41-19
    Account Number: 43135897
    Please send an email to East Cambs District Council Remittances quoting SELF BUILD REGISTER and your contact details so your payment can be linked to your registration form.

  • Credit/Debit card
    Payment can be made by Debit or Credit care over the telephone by calling the Customer Services Team on 01353 665555 

  • By Cheque
    Payment by cheque payable to East Cambridgeshire District Council may be sent to The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4EE.
    Please write SELF BUILD REGISTER on the reverse of the cheque. 

Please note:

Payment must be received before being registered.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria in full prior to submission of the fee.

Further information

There are various types of custom build project, which include:

  • Individual self 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 self 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 existing house designs to suit their own preference and needs

How we will use information from the Register

By signing up, you will help us find out more about the demand for custom build plots in East Cambridgeshire, and the house sizes that applicants would like to build.

The register is not a public document. We will not pass identifiable information from the Register on to anyone outside the Council without the written consent of the person who registered their details.

All your personal information will be held and used in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For details of how we gather, define and use your information please see the ECDC Privacy Notice

Further Information and Advice

If you would like to know more about the Custom and Self Build project, have any queries about the registration, or would like a copy of the registration form sent to you, please email Sally Bonnett East Cambs District Council or call: 01353 665555

Useful Links

Sources of funding, help and advice