Steenvlinder, the community-driven developer for individual and collective self-builders, has acquired a 20% equity stake in Edinburgh-based Custom Build Homes (CBH).
The investment creates a strategic partnership between the companies that demonstrates their commitment to diversifying the UK’s growing custom and self-build housing sector while making the process more accessible.
Founded in The Netherlands in 2015, Steenvlinder began expanding into the UK in 2021. Currently it is working on two sites in Kent and another in the Midlands, and is exploring further opportunities to scale-up across the UK, which the partnership with Custom Build Homes makes possible.
However, Steenvlinder also remains open to fresh conversations and encourages interested organisations to get in touch about custom and self build opportunities.
Hans Sparreboom, Steenvlinder Founder & CEO and Custom Build Homes Board Member, said, “While the ambition to increase the number of homes is important, the social ambition to make custom and self build more accessible will diversify the UK’s housing market with the development of better designed homes for happier homeowners and more vibrant communities.
“I am excited we are partnering with Custom Build Homes. Our experience, model, and openness towards self-building in The Netherlands will complement CBH’s knowledge and pragmatism towards navigating the UK market. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve by working together.”
Custom Build Homes built the UK’s national customer demand database, The Right to Build Register, while the company was part of BuildStore.
This deal sees CBH take ownership of the technology on which several local planning authorities track demand for custom and self build housing in their areas and where millions of data points from over 100,000 applications are used to inform planning, design, and development decisions to create new places and products that respond to the needs of local people.
Tom Connor, Founder & CEO at CBH, added, “We are pleased and excited to have such an experienced, forward-thinking, and socially driven developer like Steenvlinder as a shareholder and board member.
“Their continental approach to development and placemaking through CSB has enabled them to grow quickly in The Netherlands, and their openness to share and coach means we are sure to find plenty of opportunities to collaborate in the UK going forward.”
Image: the Custom Build Homes and Steenvlinder teams
