Make a Building Control Application

Find information on applications, fees, notifications, site inspections and regularisation

Planning seeks to guide the way our towns, cities and countryside develop.

Building regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings.

These include:

• Minimum standards of construction
• Health and safety of people in or around buildings
• Energy conservation
• Access and facilities for disabled people

Please visit LABC and or the Planning Portal for more information.

Before you do any work you must first check: 

• That your building work falls within the scope of the building regulations. Please visit LABC and or the Planning Portal
• The Planning Portal - do you need planning permission?

Full plans application

This is normally the best choice for work that includes:

• New buildings
• Extensions
• Major structural alterations
• Loft conversions

The benefits of using the full plans option are:

• Advice will be given on the building regulations at the design stage of your project. This means your plans are more likely to be passed
• A detailed report will normally be sent to you within 15 working days after making an application
• A formal approval will be sent to you once the proposals are in agreement with the regulations
• Builders can work to approved drawings which reduces the risk of breaking the regulations and helping to avoid costly delays

Building notice application

This option is suitable for more minor or domestic work such as:

• Simple structural changes
• Drainage changes
• Garage conversions
• Underpinning work
• Installing a bathroom
• Re-roofing work
• Detached garages/outbuildings
• Installing a heating appliance and/or chimney flue
• Installing replacement windows/doors
• Electrical installations

The benefits of using a building notice application are:

• Drawings are not needed when making the application

Unapproved Works (Regularisation)

Please see our Unapproved Works (Regularisation) page for further details.

More information

• Building near to un-mapped public sewers
• Preventing and resolving disputes in relation to party walls
• The Building Regulations explained
• Communities and local government website.
• Planning Portal - common building projects
• Planning Portal - guidance on ways to meet the building regulations - approved documents

Apply for a full plans application

Submit a full plans application

Alternatively, you can also submit your application by visiting Submit-a-Plan or the Planning Portal.  

A fee for checking the plan must be paid at the time of application and you will be invoiced for an inspection fee after the first site inspection.

Apply for a building notice application

Submit a Building Notice application

Alternatively, you can also submit your application by visiting Submit-a-Plan or the Planning Portal.

All charges must be paid at the time of application.

Notice of commencement of works

Notification of change of duty holder (England)

Notice of Completion by a person carrying out building work (England)

Please note: Our records are only retained for 15 years. Building Control records are not public records and generally there is no public right to view or obtain information submitted under the Building Regulations. With the owners authorisation, others may be able to view certain records.

You must inform all your neighbours that work is taking place if the work includes:

• Working on a wall shared with your neighbour
• Building on the boundary with a neighbouring property
• Excavating/digging near a neighbouring property

Please see the requirements under the Party Wall Act for further information.

Please take a look at our full list of building control fees.

If the proposed building work does not fit within our standard charge categories, we will be happy to review the proposals and provide a quote for our services. To apply for a quote, please complete this online form. 

Disability Exemptions

The fee may not be required for building work that is for the benefit of a disabled person who is either currently, or soon to be, a permanent resident at the property.

This exemption can be applied where the work is solely to provide access/facilities for the disabled resident in an existing dwelling.

Evidence of disability will need to be supplied with the application. This may be a doctor’s note, evidence of Disability Living Allowance, copy of a Blue Badge or similar.

A completion certificate will be sent to you following a successful inspection, at the end of the works.

Please note: Our records are only retained for 15 years.  

Building Control online enquiry form

Tel: 01444-477570