Building Control

Building Control is about ensuring that all building work satisfies minimum standards of health and safety. This is done by checking and approving submitted plans for compliance with the Regulations and inspecting the work during construction. The basic standards should ensure that buildings are structurally sound, safe in the event of fire, resistant to damp and moisture penetration and reasonably sound proof. Further checks are made to ensure buildings are provided with suitable ventilation, sanitary accommodation, drainage systems and heat producing appliances. As well as ensuring staircases are safely designed and safety glazing provided in critical locations, buildings must also be suitably insulated to conserve fuel and power and have adequate access and facilities for disabled persons. The control of some electrical work came within the scope of the Building Regulations in January 2005.

There are two methods of applying for Building Regulations, either Full Plans Application or Building Notice. Click on the links for more details.

• Full Plans Application
• Building Notice

Where work has been carried out without Building Regulations approval an application may be submitted for a ‘Regularisation Certificate’. This regularisation process can only be used for work commenced on or after 11 November 1985, where Building Regulations approval would have been required but was not sought.

Site Inspections

During construction the building work is inspected at various stages to check that it is in accordance with the approved plans and/or complies with Building Regulation standards. A typical inspection regime would involve carrying out site inspections at the following stages of work:

Commencement, foundation excavations, oversite preparation, first floor joists, roof structure, foul and surface water drainage, foul drain testing and completion inspection.

Written records are made of each inspection and any defects or contraventions are raised with the builder and/or applicant and follow-up inspections carried out to check remedies. Subject to satisfactory records a Completion Certificate is issued at the end of the job.

Value for money

Local Authority Building Control is responsible for setting its own charges. The law requires that these charges be set at a level that will recover the cost of providing the service.

The Council has to respond to all applications that are submitted to it, and may not choose only the profitable developments.

Dangerous Structures