Latest News and Campaign Update

Self builders are to be exempted from the Community Infrastructure Levy

15 April 2013

Following extensive lobbying by the National Self Build Association (NaSBA) the Government has today published proposals that would mean self builders won't have to pay the controversial Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charge.

The news has been warmly welcomed by self builders across the country – some of whom had been faced by a potential bill of £20-30,000, or more. A survey conducted by NaSBA last year suggested that one in eight would-be self builders had given up on their plans because of the additional cost of the CIL. In the summer of last year the (then) Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, agreed to see what could be done after lots of lobbying from across the sector.

The Self Build Portal has the full report.

National Self Build Week 'Action Handbook' published Handbook contains a wealth of information about organising events for the occasion which launched last month.

Lobbying efforts and new planning guide NaSBA's lobbying efforts over the last few years now seem to be bearing fruit..., and our Custom Build Planning Guide is well received.

NaSBA meets new Housing Minister During the Autumn we met with Mark Prisk, the new Housing Minister, who responded well to our suggestions for boosting housing actvity by encouraging further initiatives that would make it easier for people to build their own homes.

CILs Update NaSBA and The Self Build Portal asked the experts at the Department for Local Government & Communities (DCLG), who drafted the CILs legislation, some specific questions

Progress report presented to Housing Minister NaSBA presented 'A progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan to promote the growth of self build housing' to Housing Minister Grant Shapps.

What else we've achieved...

Since NaSBA was formed it has been lobbying on behalf of the self build sector and working with key officials within the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Homes and Community Agency, The Scottish Government and other related bodies.

We first met with the Housing Minister Grant Shapps in the middle of 2010. Since then he has become a strong advocate of self build, and we have worked with his team in devising a strategy to expand the sector. In July 2011 he launched our jointly prepared report – An Action Plan to promote the growth of self build housing - where he promised to do whatever was possible (funding permitting) to support and promote self building in the UK.

In November 2011 the Government’s Housing Strategy was published. This provided further support for self build (or custom building, as the Government calls it). This report required all local authorities to assess the demand for self build in their areas and, where appropriate, to develop policies to encourage more plots for self builders. The report also set up an innovative £30m rolling fund to enable larger sites to be purchased and divided into serviced plots for self builders.

We are currently working with a wide range of organisations to implement the other key recommendations in the report.