Apply for building regulations approval
You must check if you need building regulations approval before you construct or make certain changes to buildings.
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About building regulations approval
Building regulations approval is different from planning permission. You might need both for many alteration projects. Visit GOV.UK for information on when you need approval.
You can submit either a building notice or a building control application with full plans.
Building notices
A building notice can be used for:
- minor building work or minor alterations to a domestic property
- replacement windows to a domestic property
A building notice cannot be used where:
- the building is or contains a workplace such as offices, shops, factories, hotels or hostels
- the building is within 3 metres of a public sewer
- residential accommodation has communal areas to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies, or will apply after the work is complete
You do not need to submit full plans to obtain a building notice but it is your responsibility to ensure that the proposed building work meets the minimum requirements of the building regulations.
Non-compliant work discovered during our site inspections may result in expensive remedial works.
In some cases we will ask for further information such as structural calculations to ensure that the work is in accordance with building regulations.
Charges for building notices include the total of the ‘plan’ and the ‘inspection’ fee. They are payable when the building notice is submitted.
Building control application with full plans
A building control application with full plans contains plans, specifications and other information showing all construction details to demonstrate compliance with building regulations.
We have 5 weeks in which to issue a formal decision however you can agree to extend a decision date to give you more time should we require further information.
If your application does not meet the minimum requirements we will request a schedule of additional information required. Amendments to your application must be submitted at least 7 days before the decision date is due.
Charges for full plans applications are split into 2 parts. The ‘plan check’ part of the fee must be submitted with the application. Any subsequent on-site inspections will be invoiced when work starts on site.
How to apply
You can either:
- call us on 01454 868004 with your application details and pay over the phone
- download an application form to send to us together with payment
Fees
A building control fee is payable and will depend on the number and type of dwellings, as well as the type of work.
Building control fees for work to domestic dwellings
If you intend to carry out work to a non-domestic building, contact us on 01454 868004 for details of fees.
What happens next
Once we receive your application, we will check:
- we have all of the information to register it
- the correct fee has been paid
- in the case of a building notice that the development is not within 3 metres of a public sewer
If there is a problem with your application, we will contact you by letter within 3 working days and tell you what you need to do to correct it.
You will be contacted once your application has been validated, and provide an inspection service plan, so that you can arrange a date to start the work.
You will need to give us 2 days notice that you intend to begin work and let us know at the agreed inspection stages so that we can inspect the site.
If you have submitted a building control application with full plans for approval, we recommend that work does not start until you have received your decision notice. We will let you know within 3 weeks if we require any further information to register your application.
Consultation
Before we can decide on your application, we may consult Wessex Water, Avon Fire and Rescue and other services such as environmental health depending on the type of application.
Assessment
Your application is assessed against the national building regulations and any other relevant guidance.
A building notice application will not be assessed until a registered building inspector makes their first site inspection.
A building control application with full plans will receive a check by a registered building inspector. A final decision is usually made within 5 weeks or extended where necessary.
The application may be approved, approved subject to requirements or rejected. If plans are rejected you will have to resubmit the application.
Duty holders
Before starting any work you must notify us of the appointed duty holders. This includes the client, principal designer and principal contractor.
You will need to let us know when there has been a change of duty holder. We are unable to issue a completion certificate if we do not have a complete audit trail of duty holders throughout the project.
Visit GOV.UK for information on duty holders.
Site inspections
Our registered building inspectors will make as many visits throughout the project as necessary.
You will receive an inspection timeline when we acknowledge your application.
It is the responsibility of the duty holders to ensure we are notified at the right stages to inspect the work as it progresses.
For applications with full plans, we recommend that work does not commence until your application is approved.
Obtaining approval after work has been completed
If work has been carried out without the necessary building regulations, the owners may be prosecuted. To help people who find themselves in this position, or who wish to have such work approved, there is a process called regularisation.
A regularisation application relates to previously unauthorised or retrospective work, that is work carried out without building regulations consent, started on or after 11 November 1985.
The purpose is to check the unauthorised work against the regulations and provide a certificate of regularisation. Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to remove or rectify work to comply with building regulations.
Download regularisation application form