Plots for self and custom build have fallen 32% behind registrations, stats show

The number of plots councils have given planning permission to for self or custom build fell back 32% behind the number of individuals registering to construct their own homes between October 31 in 2020 and the same date last year, official stats have revealed.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities figures have shown 12,263 individuals registered to custom or self build over the year to October 31 2021.

But just 8,309 planning permissions were granted permission in the same period. This was a difference of 3,954 (32%) between registrations and plots given planning permission. If plots are not available those on the register are unable to build their properties.

伞型集团全国定制和自建协会的首席执行官安德鲁·巴德利-查佩尔说:“你可以看到，地方议会没有提供足够的土地，以满足注册的需求。”他解释说，地方议会倾向于批准较大的土地，以及那些在地方规划中指定用于达到其规划目标的土地。

He said reasons councils were sometimes struggling to give permission included stretched resources but also because they many times did not have land themselves to give. Planning authorities often have to acquire self-build plots indirectly, such as on the edge of another development, and this was not always easy to come by, Baddeley-Chappell highlighted.

People registering self or custom build was up 31% from the same period the year before (when it was 9,376). The number of planning permissions between 2019/20 was 7,750, which was a 7% year-on-year increase. Meaning the shortfall between registrations and plots has widened from 2019/20 (the gap between individuals going on the register and plots given permission that year was 17%) to 2020/21.

巴德利-查佩尔说:“应该更容易获得许可。”他指出，政府目前正在审查《2015年自建和定制房屋建造法案》，该法案要求议会通过法律批准地块，但没有规定如果他们不批准自建提案的后果。

He believe the Bacon Review, completed last year, which suggested ways to boost self-build, such as raising its awareness and ironing out tax issues, could mean more plots are giving permission in the current year. He also believed Right to Build, legislation launched in 2016 that is aimed at supporting self build, and Help to Build, an equity loan that can be made to people in England who want to build their own home, could help.

他建议:“这些举措应该使定制和自建变得更容易，也应该让地方政府更加支持。”巴德利-查佩尔表示，理想情况下，对自建法案的审查将会给那些不允许自建地块的规划当局带来后果，使“坏”的地方议会与“好”的地方议会处于同一水平。