Our Service

Building Control ensures that building work is carried out to a high standard in the interest of the health, safety and welfare of the occupiers, users and the public at large. Building Control is exercised under the Building Act and through the application of the Building Regulations, which have been approved by Parliament. The Building Regulations define what is meant by ‘building work’, set out the minimum standards of design and construction which should apply to categories of building work and establish the procedures for ensuring that building work meets these standards.

The main purpose of the Building Regulations is to:

• Secure the health and safety of people in and around buildings.
• Promote conservation of energy.
• Provide access to buildings and facilities, for people of all abilities.

Building Regulations apply to many aspects of building work carried out to all types of properties, e.g. houses, shops, offices, factories, schools, hospitals and warehouses. They apply to minor works such as replacing windows and doors, removing an internal load-bearing wall, installing an additional toilet or converting the roof space to a room, as well as erecting new buildings and extending property. They may also apply when a property changes its use, e.g. from a house into flats.

Building Regulations approval is a separate matter from obtaining planning permission for your work. Similarly, receiving any planning permission which your work may require is not the same as taking action to ensure that it complies with the Building Regulations. For more information please refer to the Planning service 

The Building Control Section offers:

• A professional, impartial and publicly accountable service
• Pre-application advice given on compliance with the requirements of relevant legislation
• Extensive knowledge of materials and construction methods to assist you in your scheme
• Extensive knowledge of local conditions
• Acknowledgment of Full Plan Applications within 3 working days and check them within 5 weeks
• Acknowledgment of Building Notices within 1 working day
• Site inspections the next day if requested before 4.00pm

LABC - Local Authority Building Control

LABC is a member organisation representing local authority building control departments in England and Wales and to which our department is affiliated.

We fully support the various LABC schemes (such as the LABC Partner Authority Scheme (PAS) and LABC House Type Approval) and work with LABC and its commercial partners to promote awareness of the various added-value products that can be available to users of our service.

The LABC added value products include: LABC Warranty warranties for Residential & Commercial Developments contact on 0845 054 0505 or email enquiries@labcwarranty.co.uk 

The LABC News and Blog page contains regular updates about the industry, building tips and practical information.

Health and Safety 

On most building sites, the regulation of Health & Safety of the construction process itself falls under the remit of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Clients, contractors and designers may have duties under health and safety legislation and may need to notify the Health & Safety Executive. Find out more about the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015).

If you are having construction work or refurbishment work done, you may need to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and you may have other duties as well. To find out more visit the Health and Safety Executive website.