A guide to submitting an application

This advice has been produced to guide you through the options you have to obtaining building control approval.

If you are proposing to carry out work to your property to which the building regulations apply, then you must submit either

A Full Plans Application or A Building Notice

If the property is designated under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (eg. shops, offices, hotels, etc) or has a relevant use under the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 or the building involves building over a public sewer, a full plans application must be submitted.

Full Plans Procedure

A Full Plans submission requires you to provide a detailed set of plans together with a specification of the works and materials to be used, together with any necessary structural and/or other calculations.

When making a Full Plans application you should include two copies of the drawings and if applicable necessary calculations, together with the appropriate fees.

We will acknowledge your application within five working days, letting you know if for any reason it is incomplete. The normal statutory time limit for dealing with your Full Plans application is five weeks, although our own performance targets endeavour that 75% are dealt with within 10 working days.

When we have checked your proposals we will issue an approval which may be subject to conditions. We will only reject your application if at the end of statutory time limit it shows major contraventions of the Building Regulations and these have not been resolved by discussion.

Building Notice Procedure

For domestic alterations and extensions you can submit a Building Notice. The fundamental difference with this procedure is that it does not require the submission of detailed plans at the time the notice is deposited. However, you should note that the Council has the right to ask for the submission of drawings, specifications and calculations at a later time to show that the work on-site complies with the Building Regulations. In the case of the erection or extension of a building, a scaled site location plan must accompany your Building Notice. Please remember that the correct fees must be submitted with your application, as it cannot be registered until this is received.

It is important to note that under this procedure, no Approval Notice is issued.

A Building Notice cannot be used where the building:

• is designated under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 or
• which Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations applies
• where the work involves building over, or within 3m of a public sewer or
• where the work includes the erection of a building fronting a private street

The use of a Building Notice places emphasis on you and your builder to ensure the work complies with the Building Regulations. You would be advised to also be sure that you have agreed the extent of the works to be constructed by your builder and what is to be included in the price.

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