Planning Portal partners with The Modern Builder

Self-build applications have risen sharply over the past year, with Q3 2025 recording the highest quarterly total ever in our dataset.

This surge signals a clear market shift; more people than ever are choosing to design and build their own homes. As demand accelerates, ensuring self-builders have access to trusted information and reliable services has never been more important.

At Planning Portal and TerraQuest, we are passionate about helping developers, planners, SMEs, self-builders and homeowners make confident, informed decisions - even before they submit their applications. A healthy marketplace is one that champions best practice, is fuelled by high-value service provision, and grows through innovation, and we are committed to supporting all three.

Strategic partnerships are central to this mission. By collaborating with organisations that share our values, we strengthen the ecosystem and improve service quality across the sector, helping to ensure consumers understand their options while enabling service providers to reach the audiences they’re designed to serve.

Partnering with The Modern Builder

Our new partnership with The Modern Builder reflects this commitment. The Modern Builder’s innovative platform simplifies the self-build and custom-build journey, helping people navigate what can be a complex, fragmented, and sometimes overwhelming process.

“Our vision at The Modern Builder is to make the self-build journey clearer and more accessible. Many people begin projects with passion but without the right early guidance, which can lead to unnecessary cost and complexity down the road. By enhancing our platform with Planning Portal's insights, we’re continuing to give self-builders and property developers the trusted connections and practical support they need from day one.” - David Johnson (former MD of Yorkon building arm of Portakabin), The Modern Builder

Of course, TerraQuest has extensive experience helping would-be self-builders find the ideal plot for their dream home, through our expert land-finding service. But we know that securing the right land is just the start of the journey for self-builders, who - unlike professional developers - often don’t have established systems and processes to follow.

“Self-builders are some of the most forward-thinking developers in the market. They’re often not motivated by profit, but by passion - investing their own resources to bring a personal vision to life. They’re a pleasure to work with; always incredibly excited about finding the right land, and helping them secure that is really special. Also, their creativity and commitment to building something unique for their lifestyle mean they are some of the top drivers of innovation across the whole development sector. It’s great that Modern Builder have this platform to share and encourage best practice.” - Jack Johnson, Head of Land, Planning Portal and TerraQuest

Through The Modern Builder’s platform, self-builders and developers can explore a broad and growing network of offsite manufacturers, contractors, architects and other construction professionals, addressing longstanding challenges around visibility, access, and timing for those embarking on their own self-build projects.

The Modern Builder plays a key role in promoting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), including offsite manufacturing, modular construction, and other efficient build techniques. These approaches are essential for improving build quality, reducing cost and risk, and accelerate delivery, all of which are critical to ensuring this influx of new self-build projects are delivered successfully.

As interest in self-build continues to rise, Planning Portal is proud to support a movement that empowers people to create homes that better reflect their needs, values, and ambitions.

Looking to start or progress a self-build project? The Modern Builder can help you start your journey with confidence.

Builders, architects, offsite suppliers and specialists - showcase your services and reach new clients with the Modern Builder's Marketplace.