I'm a self-builder from South Cumbria. I've had a plot for three years (as of May 2016). Planning went through unopposed and without comment from anyone, a first for the local area according to the architect. Because of the tight access we started by building a cabin in the garden in which to live, a static caravan as too big to get into site and I'd heard horror stories from another self-builder living in the village, he, his wife and two kids have lived in one for three years so far, he reckons it will be another two years before the house is finished.