Medway Developer Contributions and Obligations Guide

6 Self-build and Custom Housebuilding

6.1 Background

6.1.1 Self-build and custom build can be an important source of delivering a mix of homes. Comment

6.1.2 Self-build is generally where the owner is directly involved with and/or manages the design and construction of their new home, while the custom housebuilding approach is where the owner commissions the construction of their home from a developer / builder / contractor / package company who builds the property to the owner’s specifications. With custom build the occupants do not usually carry out any of the physical construction work but still make key design decisions. Comment

6.1.3 To identify and provide for people who wish to build their own home, the Council maintains a Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register of interested parties and reports the headline data annually on the Council website. Comment

6.2 Meeting the Demand on the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register

6.2.1 To ensure a consistent supply to meet the demand on Medway’s Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register, the Submission Medway Local Plan proposes that sites of 100+ dwellings will be required to supply no less than 4% of serviced dwelling plots for sale to self or custom builders, excluding flatted developments. These will be secured by use of a Section 106 agreement. Comment

6.2.2 If it is not viable to provide self-build plots on site, applicants would be expected to present robust evidence to show why for the Council to consider. Comment

6.2.3 Sites (including the self-build element) that meet or exceed the threshold to trigger the requirement for developer contributions will attract mitigation contributions in the same way as any other housing development. Comment

6.3 Marketing the Self/Custom Build Plot(s)

6.3.1 Once a site has received outline permission and plots become available for sale, the landowner/developer is required to market (to the satisfaction of the Council) the plots available for self/custom-build for a minimum period of 12 months. The 12 months will start from when the plots are first available for purchase with the responsibility on the plot provider to notify the Council when the marketing period has begun. Comment

6.3.2 If any plot(s) remain unsold after being marketed for the minimum period, they can either remain for sale as a self/custom build plot or be offered to the Local Authority to acquire for the provision of affordable housing (separate from any relevant affordable housing requirement for the Development as applicable), before reverting back to the land owner to build out on the plot or sell without restriction^[1]. To prevent the delay of housing delivery, the Local Authority will be given a time period of three months to acquire the vacant plot(s)^[2]. This provision will be secured as part of the original Section 106 agreement. Comment

6.3.3 The Local Planning Authority would expect to see clear and robust evidence to show that there is no demand from self/custom housebuilders following a sustained 12-month period. This would include evidence showing records that the site has been actively marketed by a recognised commercial agent and should include a copy of the dated letter of instruction to the commercial agent, dated records of associated web-based marketing and the Estates Gazette, or similar publication. Plots should be marketed at a reasonable price commensurate with local market values. The commercial agents should provide records of enquires throughout the period of the marketing campaign, including date, contact details and nature of enquiry and the follow-up actions undertaken, e.g. whether the enquiry resulted in a site visit. Comment

6.4 Policy/Evidence Base

Medway Self-build and Custome Housing Topic Paper December 2025 Comment