Understanding Building and Planning Regulations

Building Regs Blog

Building and planning regulations can be a confusing topic, especially for new homeowners who haven’t dealt with such information before. That being said, they are both important and necessary to certain changes and developments you want to make, and while they can often feel like restraints against your plans, their key purpose is to ensure both you and the environment around you is kept safe. Here’s everything you need to know in order to understand building and planning regulations.

What Do Building Regulations Cover?

Building regulations refer to the structural integrity of the building in question, as well as the sustainability of the materials used. In order to protect and safeguard both yourself and the public, building works such as extensions and alterations need to meet specific standards and criteria. This is not only from a health and safety point of view, but given the current climate, it’s also to ensure appropriate levels of insulation and energy efficiency are maintained. As a result of this, be aware that you may need to consider building regulations even if you don’t need planning permission for future modifications you wish to make.

In terms of planning permission, this refers to the regulation of the appearance of a building and structure, taking into consideration its use and location as well. A lot of aspects are reviewed for planning permission, even down to whether or not a structure is going to ultimately become a traffic hazard or not, due to obscuring the vision of drivers when travelling down a certain road.

The final look of a proposed scheme is also contemplated when it comes to planning permission, as a local authority may refuse permission if the plan doesn’t fit in with its surroundings in a specific area.

For those who own listed buildings, consent needs to be given before any major exterior or interior works are carried out. It’s important to remember that should you not be granted permission for any future plans, a reason must be given by the appropriate regulatory body explaining why this is the case, and you have the right to appeal against this should you not agree.

Be aware that it’s your responsibility to understand any relevant building regulations and to apply for planning permissions if needed, and if you fail to do this, you may later be required to restore the building to its original state. You may also be fined or face prosecution if you go ahead with changes without getting the appropriate authorisation for doing so.

How Do I Meet Building Regulations?

You can apply for building and planning permission and regulations by submitting your application to a building control surveyor. Though you can obviously do this yourself, if you are hiring an architect or builder to carry out the changes, you may wish to employ them to handle your application for you. Remember though, that as the owner of the property, it is still your responsibility to oversee the developments.

You may also wish to consult your Local Planning Authority and Building Control Officer initially, for advice before submitting an application. This is a good opportunity to examine your proposal, and they can provide you with advice on the best way to go about your application, as well as providing expert guidance on issues you may not have considered such as sanitation measures.

What Changes Don’t Need Planning Permission?

There are changes that you can make to your property that you don’t need to apply for planning permission for, meaning you don’t need any formal permission to be granted before going ahead with these alterations. It’s important to remember that certain changes do still need to meet specific conditions such as height and size restrictions though.

While you’ll need to research these conditions, you’ll also need to check the permitted development rights depending on the type of building (flat, bungalow etc) and the land on which it is built on. Depending on where you are located in the country will determine whether or not permission is needed too, so get in touch with your Local Planning Authority first for more information.

Here are just some of the projects and changes that you may not need planning permission for:

  • Solar roof panels
  • Roof alterations
  • Garages and outbuildings
  • Loft conversions
  • Patios and driveways

What Do I Need To Notify My Local Authority Building Control Department For? 

You’ll also need to notify your local authority building control department of certain types of electrical work you plan on starting. Here are just some of the types of work you’ll need to notify them about:

  • Replacing a consumer unit
  • Adding any new circuits to existing installation
  • Any work you want to carry out in rooms where there’s water (kitchens and bathrooms) – this doesn’t include replacements or repairs
  • Outdoor work such as installing sockets or garden lights – this doesn’t include replacements or repairs
  • Installing any new central heating control wiring
  • Fitting a socket outlet onto an external wall