Advice and guidance

This section provides guidance and the options when applying for building control consent.

How to make an application

If you are planning to work on your property to which the building regulations apply, you must apply for permission.
There are two ways you may apply:

The full plans approval route
The building notice route

Unless your property is designated under the fire precautions act (eg shops, offices, hotels and so on) then you may use either route.

In either case the fees are the same although the means of payments may be different.

Both approvals are for three years and a completion certificate will be issued when the works have been satisfactorily completed. The pros and cons for each route are listed below.

The Council must charge a fee for these services. Fee guidelines are laid down by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and not Sevenoaks District Council.

Full plans applications

These can be used for all types of work and:

Require two copies of full plans application forms and two copies of detailed plans to be submitted (four sets of plans if a commercial building;
May take up to two months for approval (but you will receive a response in 10 working days in most cases);
By following the approved plans you can be sure that the work will comply with the relevant regulations when it is inspected;
Amended plans can be submitted without additional cost providing the proposal remains substantially the same;
Works may start before approval but progress is at risk that they may need to be altered

Full plans should include plan views, elevations and sections drawn to a suitable metric scale (eg 1:50, 1:100). The plans must be very detailed and be accompanied by sufficient specification notes and calculations to enable a builder to build without needing further details. Unless you are experienced in building matters, you are advised to employ an architect, surveyor or engineer to act on you behalf.

Building notice

With the submission of a building notice:

Work can start in 48 hours;
Is ideally suited for small projects such as re-roofing, window replacement, through lounges, etc;
Cannot be used for designated buildings (offices, shops, railway premises and hotels);
Requires only the building notice application form and, in the case of a new building or an extension, a block plan showing where it will be sited and its dimensions;
No decision notice issued until the work is complete - this may be needed by your building society before funds can be released;
Puts more emphasis on inspection of site work - this means that the work may need to be altered to comply with the relevant regulations.

More information may be necessary since calculations and plans may be requested if the proposal affects means of escape or the structure of the building.

Specific types of building notice

Building notices can also be used for cavity insulation and unvented hot water systems. In these cases, the following information is required:

Cavity fill in existing buildings
i. the name and type of insulating material to be used
ii. whether the insulating material is approved by the British Board of Agreement or conforms to a British standard
iii. whether the installer is approved by the British Standards Institute or British Board of Agreement for that material

Unvented hot water systems
i. the name and type of systems to be provided
ii. is the system approved by the British Board of Agreement?
iii. is the installer approved by the British Board of Agreement for the provision of that system?

Regularisation

If you have already carried out work and then realised that you need approval, a separate procedure applies.

It is now possible to apply to the local authority for a regularisation certificate. The application should include.

A regularisation application form;
A plan of the unauthorised work;
A plan showing any additional work (if any) to ensure that the unauthorised work complies with the building regulations that were in force at that time;
A regularisation fee which is calculated as the net building notice fee + 20%.

The local authority, after acceptance of the application, may require the applicant to take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the relevant requirements of the building regulations are met. These may include:

Laying open the unauthorised work for inspection by the authority;
Making tests;
Taking samples.

The building control section would notify the applicant:
a. of the work that is required to be carried out for compliance, or
b. that they cannot determine what work is required to comply, or
c. that no work is required to secure compliance

The local authority may give a certificate if they are satisfied that the relevant requirements have been satisfied or that no work was required to ensure that the contravening work satisfies the relevant requirements.

Can we recommend an agent?

No. Sorry but the Council cannot recommend anyone to act on your behalf. However, we do recommend that you use a member of one of the professional associations listed below. Alternatively, examine the list of planning applications to find a local agent who submits applications for the type of work that you are considering.

List of Professional Bodies

Association of Building Engineers, Jubilee House, Billing Brook Road, Northampton.
British Institute of Architectural Technologists, 397 City Road, London EC1V 1NE
Chartered Institute of Building, Englemer, Kings Ride. Ascot, Berkshire. SL5. 8BJ
Institute of Structural Engineers, 11 Upper Belgrave Street, London SW1X 8BH
Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London WIN 4AD
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, 12 Great George Street, Parliament Square, London SW10 3AD

If you require further information, please contact the Building Control section.

Note: Building control consent is not planning permission, for which separate procedures apply. For further information please contact Development Control Section.

Sevenoaks District Council,
Council Offices,
Argyle Road,
Sevenoaks,
Kent
TN13 1HG

01732 227000