Paragraph 84: Building Your Own Home in the Countryside

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What is Paragraph 84

Building your own home under Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework (formerly Paragraph 80, 79, or 55) offers a unique opportunity to create something extraordinary. For self-builders who are serious about great design and willing to meet the policy’s rigorous standards, it can be one of the few viable routes to developing on otherwise protected countryside or Green Belt land.

We’re a Birmingham-based RIBA Chartered architecture practice specialising in eco-homes, including several Paragraph 84 countryside homes. We work on projects across the UK and would be delighted to help you explore your ideas. If you’re considering a new build or major renovation, you can use the link below to book a free initial consultation, or just send me an email: peter@markosdesignworkshop.com

Part of a Paragraph 84 countryside home currently in development on the outskirts of South Birmingham and Solihull. The design explores modular curved construction techniques to create a fluid connection between the building and its surrounding landscape.

Paragraph 84 Offers a Rare Opportunity

The allure of Paragraph 84 lies in the possibility. While rural land and green belt plots can be acquired at a lower cost than formally allocated development plots, planning permission is reserved for proposals that demonstrate truly exceptional design quality.

In areas like the West Midlands Green belt and the Cotswolds, where natural beauty meets strict planning controls, Paragraph 84 offers a rare opportunity: to create a singular, site-responsive home. But I must be honest in saying it’s not a straightforward route.

A paragraph 84 home must be bold yet sensitive, conceptually robust and technically rigorous. The bar is high—and rightly so. Exceptional design, landscape integration, and environmental performance are usually required.

We take a more organic approach to the architecture we develop, in line with paragraph 84, creating designs that appear to be shaped by the earth and born of the land itself. Our work blends distinctive modern forms with contextual sensitivity, resulting in buildings that are as unique as the settings they inhabit.

To read more about the process for Paragraph 84 permission, as well as the costs associated with doing so, you can click the link.

Here are some examples of things that need to be considered when undertaking a Paragraph 84 home:

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1. Be of Exceptional Quality

There’s no checklist for what constitutes "exceptional quality", but safe to say this isn’t about recycling a plan from Pinterest, and it’s not the bog standard new-build home either. Paragraph 84 homes must be fully site-specific, innovative in structure or materials, and thoughtful in their relationship with the landscape.

2. Be Truly Outstanding

“Outstanding” means more than just aesthetically pleasing. It refers to boldness, originality, and experiential quality. Previous versions of the policy emphasised "innovation", and while that wording has technically been removed, innovation is still implicitly required, especially in how you address sustainability, site responsiveness, and construction methods. One of the challenges, and somewhat unfairness with this requirement, is that it’s highly subjective and depends on the opinion of the planning officer and planning committee.

3. Reflect the Highest Standards in Architecture

This is perhaps the hardest bar to meet. Sustainability must be embedded into the fabric of the building. That doesn’t just mean solar panels or a heat pump—it means a coherent design narrative where orientation, thermal strategy, materials, and structure all reinforce one another.

The house should feel like one cohesive ecosystem, where every choice supports the whole, and the environment informs every aspect of the design. A patchwork of green features won’t cut it. We have previously covered the importance of dealing with overheating in your project. You can read more by clicking the link.

Concept sketch for a Paragraph 84 countryside home in the West Midlands Green Belt, illustrating a low-impact architectural approach that integrates with the natural woodland landscape. The design focuses on light-touch construction, framed views, and a strong relationship between interior and exterior spaces, key principles for achieving Paragraph 84 planning approval.

4. Help Raise Standards in Rural Design

A paragraph 84 home must set and raise the standards of Rural Design in the area. We always like to approach this from a site-specific perspective: materials selected from the site, site-specific construction techniques, or a deeply integrated environmental approach that utilises natural materials.

5. Enhance the Setting and Be Sensitive to the Local Area

This might sound like a contradiction: how can a modern design be both outstanding and sensitive?

But this is the paradox—and the challenge—of Paragraph 84. The design must elevate its setting while respecting its history. That might mean using stone from a nearby quarry, framing a view that others ignore, or designing in response to a local building tradition.

It’s not about pastiche. It’s about presence. If your home improves how people experience a place—visually, emotionally, and environmentally—you’re on the right path.

Is It Worth It?

One of the big advantages of Paragraph 84 homes is that the land they sit on is not considered to be developable land. Therefore, the purchase of the land itself can, in fact, be a lower entry.

What makes a Paragraph 84 home more expensive is typically you will typically be paying more for professional fees as well as the construction costs. However, one way to mitigate the downside in the project is you can always consider taking the project up to the planning stage.

If you're exploring a Paragraph 84 home in the countryside plot in the Midlands, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire or Cotswold fringe, we're actively working in these regions and would be glad to advise on feasibility and strategy. Feel free to book a free consultation below, or just send me an email: peter@markosdesignworkshop.com