Cumbria is the third largest county by area in England but despite that it is one of the most sparsely populated counties in the United Kingdom with a population of just under half a million people. The County town is Carlisle which is situated in the north of the county, the remainder of the county being mainly rural, with the exception of Barrow in Furness at the south-western tip which is the only other major urban area in the borough. Containing the Lake District National Park, considered one of England’s finest Areas of Natural Beauty, it is very easy to see why people would feel privileged to live in the county.

Why Self-Build?

According to the National Self Build & Renovation Centre (NSBRC) about 13% of all residential properties in the United Kingdom are self builds – that’s more than 20,000 people each year who decide to build their own homes. Let’s face it, the journey from the initial drawing up of the plans to actually getting the keys and moving in is going to be arduous, tiresome, fraught with problems and costly but regardless of these facts the advantages are many. We have all had times where we have seen our “dream house” but unfortunately it is in an undesirable location, or worse still, have found our dream house in an ideal location but not within budget.

It should be remembered that building your own home is not an easy option – but 20,000 plucky individuals a year can’t be wrong. In a nutshell, and to quote Mr John Hay, Head of Financial Marketing at BuildStore (the company behind NSBRC), there are three main reasons for self-building:

“One is to get the house you want, the second is to get it in the place you want and the third is because it’s more affordable.”

The financial advantages can be substantial too in the form of tax savings. A self-build home is zero-rated for VAT and exempt from Capital Gains Tax when the house is sold.

Finding a Plot of Land

Before any plans are drawn up a major hurdle to overcome is actually locating a suitable plot upon which to build your dream home. This in itself can be a very time-consuming affair and indeed the length of time it can take should never be under-estimated. This is where the local Planning Officer can be of assistance. Make a friend of the Planning Officers, use their resources wisely and involve them in your process.

The Planning Department in Cumbria plays a very important role in maintaining the balance of the community. Its officers have to juggle the sustainability of a prosperous economy and the needs of its vibrant communities whilst, at the same time, considering the needs and the implications of their decisions on the very beautiful and spectacular countryside that Cumbria affords.

The Authority currently maintain a register of people who are considering building their own home within the Lake District National Park and the reasons for doing this are many:

To inform self-builders of opportunities as and when they arise (although it should be noted that registration does not guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified);
To assess the levels of interest of those people who are actively seeking to self-build within the county;
To offer guidance and assistance with regards to current planning policies and any amendments/changes therein;
The Register is used as evidence of housing demand and can be taken into consideration when developing the Local Plan.

For details on how to record your interest on the register, and for other very useful information from the Local Authority Planning Department please click the following link: https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/planningpolicies/self-build-and-custom-housebuilding

Cumbria is without doubt a beautiful place to live, who wouldn’t want to have The Lakes on their doorstep? In addition to the spectacular countryside which has been the home and inspiration to many a famous artist, poet, and painter, (Beatrix Potter, William Wordsworth and John Ruskin to name but a few), it is said that Cumbria offers a better work-life balance than many other areas in the Kingdom. With so much on offer in the county it really is no wonder that more and more people are choosing to live and work there.