Building your dream home just got easier in the Ely area - thanks to a new scheme matching people with plots

Build your own dream home (Image: Archant)

Teaming up people and plots is the aim of the new registration scheme for self builders.

The register has been set up as part of a new national law that came into force this month and is ready for home builders to sign on its website.

Ensuring the anonymity of contributors, the council will use the information on the register to explore ways to bring people and plots together.

Recent studies show that more than seven million UK adults would like to build their own home but despite this only 12-14,000 will succeed, due to the limited supply of individual building plots available, compared with 56 per cent in Germany and more than 40 per cent in France and America.

However, this is beginning to change as new laws are now encouraging self-build and custom housebuilding.

Local authorities are required to keep a register of everyone seeking land to build their own home or who want to have a house custom built for them, as well as making sure they have enough “shovel ready” plots to meet local demand.

Anyone who wants to join the self-build register should go to www.eastcambs.gov.uk.

To find out more details about the register email sally.bonnett@eastcambs.gov.uk or call 01353 665555.

Setting up a self and custom-build register ties in with the new Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015.

To join you must be aged 18 or over, be a British citizen, a national of a European Economic Area state other than the United Kingdom, or a national of Switzerland, you must be looking to acquire a serviced plot of land in East Cambridgeshire to build a house to live in as your main residence.