Malvern Hills District Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register

A register to help us identify the level of demand for self/custom housebuilding plots in Malvern Hills District. 

What is Self-build and Custom Housebuilding?

The terms ‘Self-Build’ and ‘Custom Build’ are used to describe situations where individuals or groups are involved in creating their own home. The amount of personal involvement will vary. Self-Build projects are where an individual directly organises and commissions the design and construction of their new home. Custom Build homes are where a developer co-ordinates the whole process for the person/people involved.  

What is self-build housing?

Where you organise and design the construction of your own home. You then need to choose how, listed below are some of the options available to you:

• self-build one-off home: you manage the design and construction process and are physically involved in part or all of the construction of your home
• contractor built one-off home: you manage the design process and appoint a contractor to build the home to your specification
• kit home: you select your preferred kit home and possibly establish the foundations. The kit home company then erects the home
• independent community collaboration: you work with others to acquire a site to split into plots then organize the design and construction of your own home
• supported community self-build group: a social landlord or the Community Self-Build Agency helps you build a group of homes together.

What is Custom Build housing?

Where you work with a specialist developer to deliver your own home. There are also different options available with this method as follows:

• developer built one-off home: a developer builds a single home that the self builder completes
• developer led group project: a developer will organise a group and builds the homes that the self builder completes

Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register

Apply for entry on the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register

Local Eligibility

Local eligibility criteria was one of the areas that the Government introduced when it issued the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations 2016 which came into force on 31 Oct 2016. This was possibly because the initial regulations did not prevent individuals or groups from applying to be registered on 2 ,3 or even more registers in different local authority areas. The lack of local eligibility criteria could therefore inflate the demand for self-build for most, if not all, local authority areas.

Malvern Hills is a predominantly rural area with policies directing development to the more sustainable locations and generally protecting areas beyond allocations or the development boundaries of settlements unless allowed for by exception policies. To protect the area from unnecessary development the council considered that a more accurate picture of demand for self-build should be ascertained. To achieve this, the local eligibility criteria was introduced to ensure that the needs of those with a local connection to the area (i.e. those on Part 1 of the Self Build Register) were taken into account in the determination of any planning applications for self-build. The Malvern Hills Self Build Register is therefore in 2 parts – Part 1 for those who can demonstrate a local connection to Malvern Hills and Part 2 for those who cannot. The local connection must be demonstrated for at least 3 years prior to the application to join the Self-Build Register. Further details of how the local connection can be demonstrated are included in the application process.

In accordance with Planning Practice Guidance Self-build and custom housebuilding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new window), the local connection test does not apply to those currently serving in the armed forces or to recent veterans of the armed forces, i.e. those who left the armed forces in or since 2017.

Determining Applications for Entry on the Register

We have 28 days to confirm in writing whether the application is eligible for entry in the register and to make the entry on to the register.  Where we believe the applicant is not eligible for entry in the register we must notify the applicant and give reasons.

Notification must be sent to

• the individual or

• In the case of an association, the lead contact or such other person as the authority considers to be acting on behalf of the association.

Requests to be Removed from the Register

We must remove your details from the register within 28 days of receiving a written request to do so from either an individual or the lead contact of an organisation. 

Malvern Hills District Council may remove an entry from the register if the authority considers that the individual (or in the case of an association, any member of the association) is no longer eligible for entry in the register; and, within 28 days of the decision, will notify the registered individual or the lead contact for an organisation giving reasons. 

What happens to your information?

This Register will provide an indication of the demand for self-build and custom housebuilding in Malvern Hills District and will help us inform the development of planning / housing policy.

At this stage, you are not making any commitment – we are just trying to find out how much local demand there is for self-build housing and custom-build housing.

The register will not be a public document, but headline information will be published annually in monitoring reports, for example, the number of plots and type of houses required.

Your e-mail address, where provided, will be used by the Council to provide you with a weekly list of planning applications determined by Malvern Hills District Council and appeal decisions.  This is to enable you to identify planning permissions which have been granted for sites which might be appropriate for self-build.  From time to time we receive information relating to self-build schemes and products which might be of interest to those on our register; this will also be passed on by e-mail where appropriate.

We will not pass identifiable information from the Register onto anyone outside the Council without your written consent.

Progress Reports

Malvern Hills Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register - Progress Report (November 2023) - Updated April 2024

Further Information

Please refer to the Self Build Portal for further information on self-build and custom housebuilding. 

Please Note: The online portal for the Malvern Hills Self Build Register is hosted in conjunction with Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council.