Self-build and custom build
Register your interest for self-build or custom house building
The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 places a duty on councils to maintain a local register of people, or associations of individuals, who are looking to acquire serviced plots of land to build or commission their own home.
Self-build is where you purchase the land and build your own house on a single plot. You may build the house yourself or employ a builder, architect and, if necessary, a project manager to oversee the build.
Custom Housebuilding is similar to self-build homes but facilitated in some way by a developer. This still offers the chance to have a unique home, but through a more hands off approach than a traditional self-build.
Registering on Kensington and Chelsea’s Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register will help the Council to understand the level of demand for self-build and custom housebuilding in the Borough.
Please note: Your registration does not guarantee that a suitable plot of land will be identified or become available. As one of the most densely populated areas of land in the country there is a very limited supply of land with the Borough and to date no plots of land for self or custom-build have come forward.
The Council will not offer you any free or subsidised land or grants to carry out your project, nor is registration a guarantee that planning permission will be granted for an application for self-build or custom build development in Kensington and Chelsea.
Kensington and Chelsea’s new Self-build and Custom Housebuilding register
In order to get a better understanding of the real need for self or custom build in the Borough, the Council introduced a new two part Register. We did this on 1st January 2023. This will better reflect those who wish to custom or self-build in the Borough and have the means to purchase the land that will be needed.
In order to be added to the new two part Register you must be able to demonstrate that you will need to meet the national eligibility criteria and that you meet the solvency test.
- National eligibility criteria
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you must be:
- Over 18 years old,
- Either a British citizen, a national of an EEA state (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or any member state of the European Union) or a national of Switzerland, and
- Seeking to build a home as your sole or main residence
- Financial solvency test
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Individuals, or associations of individuals, must be able to demonstrate that they have the resources to purchase land for their self-build or custom housebuilding project. Regulations do not require evidence of sufficient resources to cover build costs or other associated costs.
Examples of the type of evidence that will be required to demonstrate compliance with the criteria is included in the application form. This will include both an evidenced assessment of the cost of an appropriate custom plot and verifiable evidence of the funds needed to purchase this plot. These funds must be readily accessible.
The Council recognises that the nature of this evidence will vary. It will depend on the specific circumstances of each applicant but also between individuals and self/ custom build organisations.
The Council would urge any potential applicant to contact the Council before making an application to discuss their particular circumstances and what evidence would be appropriate.
The Council may ask for further information once an application has been made. If there is not sufficient evidence to prove that the test has been met, the application will be refused.
If you meet these two tests you will be added to part two of the Register. To be added to part one of the register you must also meet the local connection test.
- Local connection test
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Individuals must have their principal home in the Borough on the day of their application for entry on to the Register and have been living in the Borough continuously for at least three years, up to and including the day of their application.
People in the service of the regular armed forces of the Crown are deemed to satisfy the local connection test whilst in service and for a period of three years after leaving service. The Council will require evidence of current service, or evidence of past service including the date of leaving service.
The nature of the evidence that will be required to demonstrate compliance with the criteria is included in the application form.
What are the Council’s duties with regard the Register?
The Council has some legal duties that apply to both parts of the register, and some duties that only apply to part 1.
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 that we must take account of the number of entries on the whole register when we, for example, draft planning policy document or decide to sell Council land.
Part 1 only
The Council must count entries on Part 1 of the register (only) towards the number of suitable serviced plots that they must grant development permission for. The land must be suitable for suitable for self-build or custom-housebuilding in general. However, it doesn’t need to be provided to people on the register to meet their particular requirements.
Further details are available on the National Planning Practice Note.
Apply to be added to the new 2 part register
To apply to be added to the register please download and complete our self-build and custom housebuilding register application form.
Further information
For more information about self-build and custom housebuilding, please see the National Planning Practice Guidance and
The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding (Register) Regulations (2016).
If you have any questions please contact the Council at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- What are the fees?
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An administration fee will be payable to join the new two part Register.
For individuals the following fees will apply to join the Register:
Part 1: £350
Part 2: £175All fees are inclusive of VAT.
For associations this fee will be per person.
The relevant fee is payable within 28 days of the Council notifying you that your application has been successful. If payment is not made within 28 days, you will not be added to the Register.
Details of how to pay will be provided when you are given confirmation that your application has been successful.
- How long does registration last?
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A successful applicant to the new two part Register will only remain on the Register for one calendar year. You will be notified 28 days before your entry is due to expire to allow you to re-apply should you wish to do so.
You will be required to demonstrate that you still meet the eligibility criteria to be able to stay on the Register for each subsequent year.
This will incur an annual fee of £95 for entries on Part 1 of the Register. Part 2 entries can remain on the Register free of charge.
- What happens after I register?
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The Council may contact you from time to time for information to update the Register or to provide information on self-build and custom homebuilding opportunities.
- How and why did Kensington and Chelsea’s Register change on 1st January 2023?
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In 2016 the Council introduced its original Register. Anyone who stated that they wished to custom or self-build in the Borough and met the basic requirements was added to the Register. However, the majority of those on the Register appeared to have no connection to the Borough. In addition there is no requirement that those on the Register had the means to buy the necessary plot of land. This has led to a significant overestimate of real and actionable need for self and custom-build homes.
In order to better understand the real need for self and custom building in the Borough the Council is introduced a new two-part Register. This came into being on 1st January 2023.
Part 1 of the Register includes all those who meet the local connection test, who wish to custom or self-build, and have the financial means to buy the plot of land that will be needed. Part 2 of the Register includes those who have the means to buy the land but who do not meet the local connection test.
- What if I’m already on the Register?
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The previous Register has been replaced by the new two-part Register and previous entries have not be carried over. The new two-part Register came into being on 1 January 2023.
All those on the original Register have been contacted and asked whether they wished to join the new two-part Register. To apply to be added to the new Register, you will need to complete a new application form and provide the required supporting documentation. Those who have not done so are no longer of the Council’s self-build and custom house building register.