Self-build housing

Self-build housing is where an individual (whether acting alone or with other individuals) commissions or is personally involved in the design and construction of a dwelling that is intended to be the individual’s main residence once built.

Homes built this way offer an alternative to standard market housing and are an opportunity to develop homes to a unique or bespoke design, to suit personal requirements.

You can project manage your build with sub-contractors or use one contractor for a turnkey solution. This does not mean you have to do all the physical work yourself, it's your choice.

The Council and the Scottish Government want to support the delivery of more high quality, affordable and sustainable homes in the right locations, providing choice across tenures which meet the diverse housing needs of people and communities. Good quality homes should be at the heart of great places and contribute to strengthening the health and wellbeing communities.

We want to ensure the provision of land in the right locations to accommodate future need and demand for new homes, supported by the appropriate infrastructure. To help tackle climate change, we will need more energy-efficient, net zero emissions homes to support a greener, fairer and more inclusive wellbeing economy and community wealth building which tackles both fuel and child poverty.

Read the National Planning Framework (NPF4). The framework sets out:

• Proposals for new homes that improve affordability and choice by being adaptable to changing and diverse needs, and which address identified gaps in provision, will be supported. This could include:
  
  • Self-provided homes
  • Accessible, adaptable and wheelchair accessible homes
  • Affordable homes
  • A range of size of homes such as those for larger families
  • Homes for older people including supported accommodation
  • Homes for other specialist groups
• Development proposals for new homes on land not allocated for housing in the LDP will only be supported in limited circumstances
• Other policies such as on design, brownfield first and rural homes that should be taken into account in considering sites and designing self-build homes.

Understanding the demand for self-provided housing is important for both the Council’s plan-making and decision-making processes. This list of people with a registered interest in acquiring land in the Council’s area for self-provided housing will be monitored alongside broader housing market data and help inform policies and proposals in the LDP.

By signing up, you will help us find out more about the demand for self-build plots in the Council area, where people would like their plot to be and the type of house that they would like to build. We will use the information to explore ways in which it might be possible for people and plots to be brought together.

Registration does not however guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified or become available for you. Interested parties are encouraged to have cognisance of the content and strategy set out in East Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) and National Planning Framework (NPF4) before developing their proposals.

Read East Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2)

Read the National Planning Framework (NPF4)

Under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended the Council as the “planning authority are to publish the list in such manner as the authority consider appropriate (as for example by means of the internet”.) In line with data protection, your personal details (apart from your name) will be removed before the list is published or updated online.

The Council encourages those wishing to build their own house to obtain professional help with the planning application and development processes. The following links may be helpful:

• Visit the RTPI Planning Consultant Directory
• View the ARB Architects Register
• Visit the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
• Read the East Dunbartonshire Council Planning Policy
• Read the Design & Placemaking Supplementary Guidance (East Dunbartonshire Council)
• Find out more on how to get a self-build loan in Scotland
• Visit the Our Place) website
• Visit the Self-Build Portal (NaCSBA)
• Visit the National Custom & Self Build Association website (NaCSBA)

If you would like more information on self-build, please contact the Land Planning Policy team at development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk