Making a Building Regulation Application

A Guide to Submitting an Application

And The Options Are....... !!!

Once you have decided to go ahead with your building proposals, one of your first tasks will be to submit a Building Regulation Application. You may make this by one of two methods, either :-

• A Full Plans Application or
• A Building Notice

A summary of the two alternative methods of application and their respective benefits are included in our Customer Guide 2, which is downloadable at the foot of this page.

Please note that neither of these two procedures should be confused with Planning Permission. Building Regulation approval and Planning Permission are totally separate, and it does not follow that approval under one will automatically result in approval under the other.

Pre-Application Advice

Our prime concern is to ensure that Building Regulation Approval is given quickly and preferably before building work commences. On complex projects we appreciate this is often difficult, especially when the issuing of Planning Permission runs concurrently.

We recognise the tight timescales required by the industry, so we therefore offer pre-application meetings to help get your project on the right lines before you make a formal application.

Working closely together, early in the project, will ensure that when you receive your Planning Approval, Building Regulations will fall into place. You will know that aspects such as fire safety, thermal design, sound insulation and facilities for disabled people for example, have been suitably designed for at an early stage.

If you would like to take up this offer, please contact us.

Gaining Approval

Do you need Building Regulation Approval

YES	YES	NO
Full Plans Route	Building Notice Route	Some detached garages, conservatories and porches are exempt from requiring Building Regulation Approval (See our Buildings Which Do Not Need Permission Webpage for details)
Send Full Plans form, 2 copies of plans (4 if commercial), and appropriate Plan Charge (see our Building Control Charges Webpage for details).	Buildings which are designated under the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 cannot use this route
Plans checked for compliance with the Regulations	Send Building Notice Form, Site and Block Plan and Building Notice Charge (See our Building Control Charges Webpage for details).
Negotiate to resolve any problems	Notice Accepted
Plans Approved	Give 48 hours notice of commencement of work by submitting blue form
Notify Building Control to carry out inspections at various stages (see our Site Inspection Webpage for details)	Notify Building Control to carry out inspections at various stages (see our Site Inspection Webpage for details)

The Building Regulation approval process, whether you use the Full Plans Route or the Building Notice Route is split into two parts:

• Submitting an application
• Work on site 

What happens if I do not comply with the Building Regulations?

Forms and Charges Guidance

A charge is payable dependant on the type of work being carried out and the form of application used ( Full Plans or Building Notice ). A Full Plans application generally has a Plan Charge ( payable at submission stage ) and an Inspection Charge ( payable after the first inspection ). A Building Notice has one charge ( payable at submission stage ) but this is exactly the same amount as the Full Plans Charge.

Please note that the Charges for either a Full Plans or Building Notice application are not refundable if you decide subsequently not to proceed with the work.

Full details of how to calculate our charges are available on our Building Control Charges web page. Our Scheme of Charges is available to download below.

How To Make An Application - Customer Guide

Our Customer Guide will help you decide on the best solution to make an application.

•   Customer Guide 2 (pdf) 144kb

Building Notice Application Form

To follow the Building Notice procedure, please download and complete our Building Notice form.

•   Building Notice Application Form (pdf) 70kb

Full Plans Application Form

To follow the Full Plans procedure, please download and complete our Full Plans form.

•   Full Plans Application Form (pdf) 225kb

Scheme Of Charges

For details and explanatory notes on our charges, please see our Scheme of Charges download.

•   Scheme of Charges (pdf) 201kb