Self build registers lowball demand for plots by two-thirds
Local authority custom and self build registers have underestimated demand by approximately 2/3rds, according to NaCSBA’s Custom and Self Build Report 2023/24. Data collected over three years revealed that 83,430 people were interested in taking on a project, while only 29,697 people had signed up to a Right to Build register from 2019-2022. This reveals that the demand reflected by these registers has under-measured appetites for self building by at least 64%. The 2016 Housing and Planning Act requires local authorities across England to host a Right to Build Register to record how many people want to build their own homes in the area and serve that demand with sufficient planning permissions. Obstacles like joining fees are deterring many self builders, and skewing demand.