Join the self-build and custom housebuilding register, find out about the Bristol Community Land Trust and funding for home building.
What is self-build and custom housebuilding
With a self-build project you organise the design and construction of your home, possibly working with an architect, contractor or kit home company. With a custom housebuilding project a developer takes on the work and, for example, finds the land, manages the house build and arranges the funding.
This can include:
- single detached homes on small plots
- community self-build projects
- blocks of apartments developed or renovated by a group of people
Join the self-build and custom housebuilding register
If you're interested in self or custom housebuilding, you can apply to join the local register. We need to understand and estimate the demand for it in our local area. We'd like to know how many Bristol citizens are interested in building their own home and the help they'll need to do this.
Individuals
Register online if you're:
- an individual
- in a couple (only one of you needs to register)
- a member of a household (only one of you needs to register)
You can join the register if:
- you're over 18
- you're a British citizen, a national of an EEA state other than the UK or a national of Switzerland
- you're looking for a serviced plot of land, in the Bristol City Council area, to build a property that will be your sole or main residence
Associations
If you would like to register as an association, download and complete our Word document.
document Register as an association (65 KB)
Complete the form and email to housingdeliveryteam@bristol.gov.uk or post to Housing Delivery Team, Self-build and custom house building register, PO Box 3399, Bristol, BS3 9NE.
pdf Guidance notes for associations (326 KB)
Privacy notice
pdf Self-build and custom housebuilding register privacy notice (198 KB)
Bristol Community Land Trust (BCLT)
Bristol Community Land Trust was set up by members of the public in 2011. It's a member-led, community focused, organisation with over 700 members.
BCLT's first project was the redevelopment of a council site at 325 Fishponds Road. This included the refurbishment of an old school building and new build housing.
Residents undertook an element of self-finish, rather than self-build, whereby they were responsible for fitting kitchens, tiling bathrooms, and painting.
Their work earned them either additional equity in their Shared Ownership homes, or a reduction in rent for the rented homes.
It's gone on to work in partnership with Brighter Places, to build 50 affordable homes in the Lockleaze ward.
The self-finish model was used again, managed by Ecomotive, who trained the residents in the skills needed to undertake the final finishes to their homes.
For more information on the work BCLT is doing, visit the Bristol Community Land Trust website.
Funding for home building
Government funding is available to small, community and custom builders and regeneration specialists, to build new homes or prepare sites for housing developments. Read about the Home Building Fund on GOV.UK.