Planning policy

The council has a register to collect data on those who are interested in building or designing their own homes in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

What is the register?

The Self-build and Custom House building Act 2015 imposed a duty upon relevant authorities to maintain a register of individuals and associations of individuals seeking to acquire serviced plots of land in their area, in order to build homes for their occupation. The council is required to grant planning permission for enough self-build plots to meet demand, as evidenced by the register. The self-build register is used to determine demand for self-build plots in the borough but it does not guarantee the provision of a self-build plot for individuals or groups joining the register.

New local eligibility criteria

In October 2016, new regulations allowed local authorities to set local eligibility requirements (in addition to the general national requirements), consisting of a local connection test and a financial solvency test requiring evidence of sufficient resources to purchase land, and to charge a fee for entries onto the register, as well as an annual fee to remain on the register.

One of the key advantages of introducing local eligibility requirements is to ensure the register better reflects local demand for land to be used for custom and self-build housing and to assist the council in better meeting its obligations.

Local authorities who set up local eligibility criteria must divide their self-build register into two parts. Part 1 will only include those entries meeting all of the eligibility requirements set by the council and Part 2 will include those entries that meet the local connection test and the nationally applicable standards. The total number of entries on Part 1 of the register will be the baseline demand for plots for which need must be met within 3 years.

Between June and August 2020, a public consultation looked at the introduction of new local eligibility criteria. After considering the responses received from the consultation, the council has introduced new local eligibility criteria. These are set out below. 

Note: In registration submissions, applicants must provide evidence they meet the national eligibility criteria for inclusion in Part 2 of the register and the national and additional local eligibility criteria for inclusion on Part 1 of the register. Applicants must also pay the relevant fees with their submission. Details can be found in the Fees section below. 

Part 1 criteria

The council has adopted the below local eligibility criteria for joining Part 1 of the register. Applicants must meet the national eligibility criteria as well as the local eligibility criteria as written below for entry onto Part 1 of the register:

• Residency in the borough for at least 5 years prior to the date of application (although some flexibility for non-continuous residency for study or temporary work will be applied); or
• Currently in the service of the regular armed forces or has served in the armed forces in the past 5 years.

And

• Able to provide evidence of access to sufficient resources to purchase land of at least £225,000 (based on a local land valuation assessment).

For associations of individuals wishing to be added to the register, at least three-quarters of the members must meet the local connection criteria above and be able to demonstrate the association collectively has sufficient financial resources to purchase a plot large enough to accommodate its members.

Part 2 criteria

The national eligibility criteria for Part 2 of the register have also been adopted, which requires the applicant to be:

• Able to provide evidence of access to sufficient resources to purchase land of at least £225,000 (based on a local land valuation assessment).
• over 18 years old; and
• a British citizen or national of an EEA state, or a national of Switzerland; and
• 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 their sole or main residence.

Applicants must meet all of the above eligibility criteria for entry onto Part 2 of the register.

Note: Couples or members of one household should nominate one member of the couple or household to apply for entry on the register as an individual. When applying to be entered on the register, individuals who wish to register as an association must appoint a member or officer to act as the lead contact for the purposes of correspondence between the association and the council.

Proof eligibility criteria have been met

The below evidence examples would be suitable for demonstrating that the eligibility criteria have been met:

• Proof of residency - address details and associated council tax records/bills, utility bill statements for the last 5 years, residential mortgage statements. We'll accept other documentation if it clearly demonstrates (to our satisfaction) the applicant's residency in the borough for the last 5 years. 
• Service of the regular armed forces - appropriate official documentation, which clearly demonstrates current service in the armed forces or service in the past 5 years. 
• Sufficient resources to purchase land - documentation showing the applicant has access to funds either in the form of savings or a mortgage in principle agreement. We will accept other forms of evidence if it clearly demonstrates the applicant has access to sufficient funds.

Fees

The following fees have been introduced for joining each part of the register. This is to cover additional administration costs arising as a result of the new local eligibility criteria:

• Fee for Part 1 of the register: £105 for entry and an annual retention fee of £35
• Fee for Part 2 of the register: £52 (no annual retention fee)

Please read the below before applying and paying to be on the self-build register: 

• Individuals or groups on the self-build register are not guaranteed provision of a self-build plot. This should be considered when applying to be on the register as a fee will be charged to applicants to recover the administrative costs associated with maintaining the register and checking individuals or groups meet the local eligibility criteria. 
• There are currently a shortage of self-build plots available in the borough and while the council will seek to maximise the land it can make available for self-build opportunities, there is no guarantee that joining the self-build register will guarantee the provision of a suitable plot for you, even if all of the local eligibility criteria are met. The number of people on the register will inform the development of future planning policies to address the identified need, and the council is exploring ways to increase the availability of self-build plots, but provision of self-build plots cannot be guaranteed in the short-term by joining the register.
• As a member of the self-build register, individual and groups will periodically be made aware of the sale of permissioned suitable land that would be suitable for self-build. This will predominantly consists of suitable land that the Council is disposing through its usual process. It may also consist of approved planning applications on private land that have specifically be designed for self-build development. This information is already made publicly available and is not exclusive to those on the self-build register. This should be considered when applying to be on the register, as a fee will be charged to applicants to recover the administrative costs associated with maintaining the register and checking individuals or groups meet the local eligibility criteria. 
• The number of people on the register will inform the development of future planning policies to address the identified need, and the council is exploring ways to increase the number of self-build plots being sold in the borough. However, joining the self-build register does not guarantee that there will be an equivalent supply of self-build plots in the short-term. 

Progress updates on the Local Plan Review will be posted on the Local Plan section of the website. If you wish to be notified of these updates, please email the council's planning policy team at localplan@hillingdon.gov.uk.

Registration process

Please make submissions using the following online form. Once the applicant's form has been submitted, the Council will check the documentation provided and issue a link to the applicant to make the fees payment. If further information is required, the applicant will be contacted by email.

Please read all of the above before applying.

Self build and custom house building form

If you have any queries about the self-build and custom house building register or the registration process, please contact us by:

Email: localplan@hillingdon.gov.uk

In writing: Planning Service,
Residents Services,
London Borough of Hillingdon,
3N, Civic Centre,
High Street,
Uxbridge,
UB8 1UW