Chesterfield Borough Council is required to maintain a register of individuals and associations seeking to acquire a service plot of land within the borough for the purpose of building a house as their sole or main residence as a self-build or custom build.

This page provides more information on custom and self-build housing, how to get on the register and how the council will use the register to inform its Local Plan.

What is a self-build and custom build?

A self-build is a project where someone directly organises the design and construction of their new home.

In a custom build, you work with a specialist developer to help build your home.

There will often be overlap between the two types, but the linking factor is that you will be building a bespoke dwelling for your own occupation.

Purpose of the register

The government wants to encourage more people to build or commission their own home in order to increase housing delivery.

The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act requires local authorities to publicise and keep a register of those who are seeking to acquire serviced plots of land in that authority’s area.

You do not need to be on the register to carry out a self-build or custom build project. You can still find a site, apply for planning permission and build it yourself as normal. Neither does being on the register mean that the council is obliged to find you a site for your project.

The register will provide evidence for the council of the demand for self-build and custom builds in the borough and will inform work on the council’s Local Plan, preparing housing strategies and when disposing of land. In the long term this could mean the council allocating land in its Local Plan for self-build projects, or adopting policies to make plots available through other development, if there is evidence of enough demand.

How to register

To register please complete the provided the Self-Build and Custom Build Registration Form.

Applications can be made by individuals or associations. However, in all cases, in order to be entered onto the register, you must be:

• over 18
• a national of the UK, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland
• looking for a plot of land within Chesterfield Borough to occupy as your sole or main residence

Forms should be returned to the council at the postal or email address at the bottom of this page.

You must provide all of the relevant information on the registration form. You will then receive notification within 28 days that either your application has been successful, and you have been entered onto the register, or of the reasons why you have not been successful.

Any personal information that you provide us will not be published, although we will use aggregate data (for example: total number of entries on the register, average number of plots sought) to provide evidence of the amount of demand for self-build and custom housing in the borough.

If at any time you wish to be removed from the register, you can request this in writing and your details will be removed from the register within 28 days.

Self Build Register Application Form

(Word 137 KB)

Further information

If you have any questions about the register, how to apply, or what it means, please contact the council’s Strategic Planning and Key Sites Team.

Strategic Planning and Key Sites
Chesterfield Borough Council
Town Hall
Rose Hill
Chesterfield
S40 1LP

Phone: 01246 345371

You can also find out more information at www.planningportal.co.uk.