Depositing Full Plans Depositing Full Plans A "Full Plans" application enables your drawing and details to be formally checked and approved before you commence work. If found to comply with Building Regulations, a "Notice of Passing of Building Plans" will be issued (in some cases with conditions). Such a Notice will often be required by financial institutions or solicitors when you seek a loan or come to sell your property. If the work on site is undertaken in accordance with the approved drawings, we will ask no further justifications or amendment to the design. You will be able to proceed with confidence.
How can I ensure that my proposals will comply with Building Regulations? Each of the above parts of the Building Regulations is supported by Approved Documents. Designing in accordance with the guidance in the Approved Documents tends to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of Building Regulations in the event of an alleged contravention. If the guidance in the Approved Documents has not been followed it will be for the designer to demonstrate by other means that the requirements have been satisfied. The designer may wish to refer to documents such as the: - • British Standards • British Standards Codes of Practice • Agrément Certificates • Building Research Establishment Digests
How do I make an application? If the building proposed, or to which works are to be undertaken, is a workplace, or involves building over or near a "public sewer" you must submit "Full Plans". In other circumstances you have the choice of submitting a "Building Notice" or depositing "Full Plans". Neither of these procedures, which are outlined below, must be confused with Planning Permission. Building Regulations and Town and Country Planning Acts are totally separate and it does not follow that approval under one will automatically result in approval under the other. Both Full Plan Approvals and Building Notices remain valid for three years from the date of submission. Depositing Full Plans A "Full Plans" application enables your drawing and details to be formally checked and approved before you commence work. If found to comply with Building Regulations, a "Notice of Passing of Building Plans" will be issued (in some cases with conditions). Such a Notice will often be required by financial institutions or solicitors when you seek a loan or come to sell your property. If the work on site is undertaken in accordance with the approved drawings, we will ask no further justifications or amendment to the design. You will be able to proceed with confidence.
How does the Building Notice work? Before you start work you must submit the "Building Notice" form with the appropriate payment and as much supporting information as you have available to the Building Control Surveyor. It is helpful, and sometimes a requirement, for you to submit a scaled site plan showing the property and the site of the proposed building work. If the work includes new drainage, the site plan should show that it is practical and whether the building work is to be constructed over an existing drain or sewer.
How many copies of drawings do I have to supply? Generally the forms, plans and details should be deposited in duplicate. However, should the scheme involve a workplace (for which fire precautions and Means of Escape in Case of Fire are required by Building Regulations), then two extra copies of those drawings showing the necessary provision should be submitted. This is to enable consultation with the Fire Brigade's Fire Safety Officers to be undertaken. In the event of site work on such projects deviating from the original approved design, further copies "as built" drawings must then be submitted to us. Don't forget to provide an Ordnance Survey extract or other site plan to a scale of 1:1250 so we can locate your site.
How much do I need to pay? Unless the works are intended to provide certain facilities for disabled people, a charge is made by the Council. Unless the correct payment is received, the application cannot be validated. Guidance notes for charges are available. It is important to remember that, other than where full payment is made in advance, (e.g. small extensions, minor alterations), we will send an invoice for an "inspection charge" following the first visit by the Building Control Surveyor to inspect work in progress.
How soon can I expect a response to my Full Plans Application? Validation of you application will occur within two days of the receipt, provided that the correct payment is received, there is the correct number of plans and the forms are properly completed. The plans will then be forwarded to your Building Control Surveyor for the checking of technical aspects. You can expect a response from your Surveyor within 10 days of validation. This may be in the form of a Notice of Passing of Building Plans (see above) a letter or a telephone call to outline any matters which require amendment or need clarification. It is important that you reply to any queries as quickly as possible since the period allowed by law for the Surveyor to issue his decision is only 5 weeks (although this may be extended to 2 months with your written consent). For those projects which require consultation with the Fire Safety Officer or Thames Water Utilities it is necessary for us to allow a period of at least 14 working days for the report. Since our time period is not correspondingly extended your quick response is even more important.
Is any building work exempt from the requirement of Building Regulations? Not all work is subject to the requirements of Building Regulations and certain buildings can be erected without the need to make an application. • Buildings controlled under other legislation such as:- Buildings, which are part of nuclear Installations; Ancient Monuments. • Detached buildings into which people do not normally go, other than for maintenance and repair. E.g. Buildings solely for the use of housing plant and machinery.
NOTE Such buildings are not exempt if the building is less than one and a half times its height from (i) Any point of a building into which people can or do normally go. (ii) The nearest point of the boundary of the curtilage of that building whichever is nearer. • Greenhouses and agricultural buildings depending on their siting in relation to buildings containing sleeping accommodation and the number of exits available: - Such buildings are not exempt if they are used for the purposes of retailing, packing or exhibiting. • A temporary building, which is not intended to remain where it is erected for more than 28 days. • Ancillary buildings on building and civil engineering sites, such as agent's offices, mess rooms, stores etc. which contain no sleeping accommodation. • Buildings used in connection with a mine or quarry, other than one which contains a dwelling or is used as an office or showroom. • Detached single storey buildings not exceeding 30m2 floor area which (a) Contain no sleeping accommodation; and (b) Are not less than 1 metre away from any boundary or are constructed substantially of non combustible material (for garages, timbers supporting the roof are disregarded) • Detached buildings not exceeding 15m2 floor area and which do not contain sleeping accommodation. • Certain detached buildings not exceeding 30m2 area intended to be used to shelter people from the effects of warfare. • Certain small ground floor extensions not exceeding 30m2 floor area. E.g. Conservatory, Porch, carport (i.e. open on at least two sides), Covered Way. NOTE:- In respect of conservatories and porches any glazing must satisfy the requirements of Part N Glazing of Schedule 1 of Building Regulations (e.g. toughened glass). For the purposes of measuring "floor area" under the Building Regulations, internal measurements are used.
Regularisation Certificates Introduced into the Building Regulations in 1994 this facility enables us to certify that unauthorised work, (i.e. extensions or alterations undertaken without reference to a Building Control Surveyor) carried out since 1985 is to an acceptable standard. A request for Regularisation is to be accompanied by the appropriate payment and any supporting technical information as is available to you. We will investigate the matter and this may entail you exposing as much of the work as necessary for us to be convinced of its suitability. Unless we are satisfied that the work was in compliance with the Building Regulations the Regularisation Certificate will not be issued. You will be given the opportunity to undertake remedial work in order to obtain the certificate. The procedure does not remove our powers to take enforcement action should we find it necessary to ensure your safety.
What are the pitfalls? It is the duty of both the person having the work done and the builder to comply with the Building Regulations. A lot of work may be undertaken between site visits by the Building Control Surveyor and, should this work be found to be unacceptable, it will need to be removed or altered. For this reason it is recommended that the use of a Building Notice should occur only where the Architect, Builder or Supervisor is familiar with Building Regulations and, in particular, any requirements specific to the Borough of Spelthorne (e.g. the need to ensure that all the new roof timber is adequately treated against infestation by House Longhorn Beetle prior to installation). A Certificate of Completion, or "seal of approval", is issued upon completion, subject to sufficient work having been inspected to ascertain compliance with the Building Regulations.
What decision options are available to the Building Control Surveyor? There are three options available for the Surveyor dealing with your Full Plans application • The building plans may be Passed, Unconditionally. • The building plans may be Passed subject to Conditions. These conditions must be mutually acceptable and will require drawings to be amended in a specific way or for further information to be provided within a specific time limit. • As a last resort, plans may have to be Rejected. Our policy is to make every effort to avoid this option but we do rely heavily on your co-operation. Following Rejection a Resubmission will be required if you intend to proceed with the project.
What do I do before commencing Building Work? Two days before any building work starts either the person having the work carried out or the builder should notify the Building Control Surveyor that the work is about to start. The Council must be notified when various stages are nearing completion so that inspections can be carried out.
What technical information will the Building Control Surveyor require? The Building Control Surveyor may at any stage of work request further information, such as structural calculations and drawings to show that the work does not present a fire hazard or any other risk to fire safety. A materials specification may also be required.
When can the Building Notice procedure be used? This procedure may be used as an alternative to Full Plans except where the work involves building over or near a public sewer or the building is a workplace. Therefore, any building work carried out to create or alter a shop, hotel, factory or office or other workplace can only be carried out after a "Full Plans" submission has been made.
