Building Control Recent Legislation Changes and News
BUILDING CONTROL ACCOUNT
PUBLISHED
As required by the Building (Local
Authority Charges) Regulations 2010 the annual income and
expenditure for Building Control has been published. This
information will be used to help inform future changes to Building
Control charges at Havant Borough Council.
Click
here for 2010/11 Trading Account details.
NEW BUILDING CONTROL CHARGE FOR CAVITY FILL NOTICES
FROM 24 JANUARY 2011
From the 24 January 2011 the Council is introducing a new charge
for cavity fill notices. This charge will be £40+VAT.
REVISIONS TO BUILDING
REGULATIONS - OCTOBER 2010
Revisions to Part F (ventilation),
Part J (heat producing appliances) and Part L (conservation of fuel
and power) of the Building Regulations will come into effect in
October 2010. These revised documents will be available from the
planning portal
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/buildingregs/technicalguidance/bcapproveddocumentslist/.
BUILDING CONTROL CHARGES TO BE REVISED LATER THIS
YEAR - 13 APRIL 2009
On the 1 April 2010 the new Building (Local Authority Charges)
Regulations 2010 were published. The aim of the new regulations is
to provide greater flexibility, accuracy, transparency and fairness
to the way that Local Authorities charge for their Building Control
service.
The new legislation requires local authorities
to have a new scheme of charges set by 1 October 2010. The key
principle is that the charges are calculated on a full cost
break-even recovery for Building Regulations chargeable work, with
prices set to achieve this objective. Havant Borough Council is
currently working on producing a new scheme for Building Control
work and intends to introduce these new charges on that particular
date.
NEW PART G BUILDING REGULATIONS AND REVISED GUIDANCE -
26 MARCH 2010
Revised Building Regulations dealing with water safety,
sanitation and water use come into effect on 6 April
2010.
New guidance in the form of
Approved Document G has now been released. This supersedes all
previous versions of this Approved Document.
The Approved Document needs to be used together with a new
water calculator tool (236Kb pdf).
NEW BUILDING CONTROL CHARGES - 19 MARCH
2010
From 1 April 2010, new charges
apply on all Building Regulations applications.
Download the new charges
sheet (199kb pdf).
NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS - 17 SEPTEMBER
2009
On 6 April 2010, revised Building Regulations will come
into force. The Regulations and revised guidance deal with
sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency. The new
Regulations will
- specify applications where ‘non-wholesome’ water may be used in
buildings
- introduce a new water efficiency standard combined with a
calculation method for new homes of not more than 125 litres per
person a day
- place limits on delivery temperature of hot water in baths
through the use of thermostatic blending valves and,
- add further technical requirements for hot water systems.
For more information on these new regulations and the relevant
guidance please use the following link. (Note, the revised
regulations were originally due to come into force on 1 October
2009, which is the date stated in the draft document, but the date
has since been changed to 6 April 2010).
www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_draftADG_2009.pdf
NEW BUILDING CONTROL CHARGES - 20 MARCH
2009
From 1 April 2009, new charges will
apply on all Building Regulations applications.
Download the new charges
sheet (197kb pdf)
CHANGE OF LAW REGARDING GAS APPLIANCE INSTALLATIONS -
14 JANUARY 2009
Until the 31st March 2009 the law requires that all work to fit
new heat producing gas appliances, including boilers must be
carried out by a CORGI registered operative. From
the 1st April 2009 the requirements change and
such work must be carried out by an operative registered with
GAS SAFE REGISTER. More information is available
at http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
CHANGE OF VAT RATE - 1 DECEMBER 2008
From 1 December 2008, VAT will be charged at 15% on all Building
Regulations applications except Regularisation applications.
Download the new
charges sheet (35kb pdf)
ACCESS STATEMENT TEMPLATE
The Council have recently published an Access Statement template
in Microsoft Word format for its customers to use when submitting a
Building Regulation application for a building that is not a
dwelling. The Council recommend that you use the Access Statement
template below to ensure you provide the information we
require. Simply download, complete and send in with your
Building Regulation application.
Access Statement template
Microsoft Word (40Kb doc)
Access
Statement template Adobe PDF (95Kb pdf)
ARE YOU PLANNING TO CARRY OUT ANY ELECTRICAL
WORK?
The introduction of Part P of the Building Regulations means
that electrical work carried out in 'Dwellings' is designated
as a controlled service or fitting and must be notified to the
local Building Control Body.
Applications must be made before work starts, unless it is to
be carried out by a 'Competent Person' who is on an Approved
Register, and who is capable of 'self certifying' their own work.
In cases where a Competent Person is used, Building Control Section
will receive notification after completion of the works.
These persons will be registered with either:-
1. BRE Certification Ltd.
2. British Standards Institution.
3. ELECSA Ltd.
4. NICEIC Certification Services Ltd.
The scope of the electrical work covered in Part P that may
affect private homeowners includes:
New Installations, plus;
- Alterations
- Additions
- All electrical work in Kitchens (except accessory
changes)
- All electrical work in bathrooms (except accessory
changes)
- Power supplies to Sheds, Greenhouses, other Detached
Buildings
- Floor and Heating systems
- Extra Low Voltage systems
- Generators
- Swimming pools
- Saunas
- Photovaltaic systems (Solar Panels)
- Power Supplies in gardens (outside lights, pond pumps
etc)
There are certain works that are excluded from the scope of
the new regulations, and are considered 'Minor Works'. These
include minor repairs to existing fittings, or adding extra sockets
or light fittings to an existing circuit (please note that any
electrical work in kitchens/bathrooms or other wet areas is not
considered minor work, see above)
Any installer on the approved list wishing to self certify
their work must use BS 7671:2001 as the standard by which
compliance with Part P can be achieved. Any deviation from this
standard will require a Building Regulation application to be
made.
If a person chooses to use the Councils Building Control
Department, the applicant/building owner will be requested on
completion to supply an installation and commissioning test
certificate completed by a person competent in respect of the
inspection and testing of such installations as required by British
Standards 7671.
Any person who undertakes work on domestic electrical
installations to which Building Regulations applies and fails to
follow one of the above procedures may;
(a) Potentially put their health and safety and that of others
at risk,
(b) Be liable for a fine,
(c) Possibly invalidate the home insurance,
(d) Encounter problems with any future sale of the
property.
If you are considering DIY electrical work, please be aware
that this new Regulation is equally applicable to that work.
If you have any queries on the application of this new
Building Regulation to electrical works you may be considering,
please call your local office located in Havant who will be happy
to provide advise Tel 023 9244 6573, Fax 023 9244 6588,
Application forms and charge details are available by post or
from reception.