How to apply and cost

There are two methods of applying to the local authority for building regulations consent prior to carrying out work.

Full Plans application

Full plans of your proposals should be produced and submitted to the council for approval. 

You need to ensure plans are prepared well in advance of your start date, showing all constructional details. They should be prepared by someone who is fully aware of the requirements of the building regulations as it is your responsibility to make the scheme comply with the building regulations.

The plans should be submitted with an application form and fee. We will check the details and advise of any building regulation issues, normally by phone.

Once the scheme is agreed, we will also consult other relevant authorities prior to issuing an approval. If, however, the scheme cannot be agreed, we are required to issue a rejection within five weeks (or eight weeks, with agreement). Further discussion can be carried out to reach agreement, and the application resubmitted.  There may a charge for the resubmission so it is best to ensure that your designer is competent to submit the application.

Building Notice

Building notices can only be used to apply for works to dwelling houses (not flats). A location plan is needed in the case of extensions, and no detailed plans are required to be submitted with the form. However, you may be required to provide additional information to prove compliance at a later stage. The Building notice can only be used where the proposal IS NOT positioned over or with 3m of a public sewer.

Send us the Building Notice Form, location plan and appropriate fee and the application should be registered, subject to the proposal not affecting any public sewers. Severn Trent Area or United Utilities Area

It is your or your builder's responsibility to ensure the works achieve the standards required by the Building Regulations. Therefore you must feel confident of your knowledge of the standards required, as you will have to alter any non-compliant works at your own expense.

The Building Control Surveyor will inspect the work as it is carried out and try to guide you to meet the standards, although the final design will rest with you.

No approval notice is given under the Building Notice procedure, although a completion certificate will be issued on satisfactory completion of works. The advantage of a Building
Notice procedure is a speedy application process and you can start 48 hours after we have registered the application.

Applications by email

Drawings are required to be in PDF format and provided with a scale bar and preferably with the key dimensions of the project provided.

Please note - it may be necessary, depending on the project type, for paper copies to be provided for consultation purposes with the Fire Authority / Structural Engineers etc. The allocated Building Control Surveyor for the project will discuss this directly with the applicant / agent should this need arise.

Regularisation Applications

It has become very difficult to sell a house that has had alterations or extensions undertaken without building regulation approval.

Problems occur when the vendor cannot supply the purchaser with the appropriate approval notice and/or completion certificate. This calls into question the quality of building construction and the structural integrity of the work.

However, you can now apply to Building Control for a Regularisation Certificate for work carried out after 11th November 1985 which will assist this, but you need to be aware that a fee is payable to the council and breaches to the building regulations may need to be rectified.

The appropriate charge is dependent upon the type of work proposed. No VAT is payable on regularisation works.

Works Completed and Occupied Without Notification

If the works were completed and occupied for more than 6 months without notice to the council then there will be a further charge for carrying out a re inspection and issuing a completion certificate. Use the Request for Completion Inspection form below to request a visit.

How we use your Data

Please see our notes on use of data supplied as part of your application.