Apply for building regulation approval

Overview

For all building projects subject to a building notice or application for building control approval with full plans, no matter how small, the client will now have to make suitable arrangements for planning, managing and monitoring a project throughout its run to ensure compliance with building regulations. To do this, they must appoint a principal contractor and a principal designer who are competent to do the work under regulations 11F and 11G, provide full details of those appointed to building control, and advise of any subsequent changes in these roles.

If the client fails to do so, the designer in control of the project's design phase will automatically become the principal designer, and the contractor in control of the project's construction phase will become the principal contractor. The specific duties of these parties are set out in Part 2A and Chapter 4 of the regulations, it is strongly recommended that you are familiar with duties.

The changes also require submitting additional information when giving an application for building control approval with full plans (formerly referred to as a full plans application). You can find details of these changes in Regulation 14 and include but are not limited to the following:

• full details of the applicant, client and principal designer and where known the principal contractor
• height of the building and number of storeys before and after the work
• details of the current and intended use of each storey
• New revisions under Regulation 46A lapse of building control approval outlining when a building project is considered “commenced” and requiring a statement setting out - (aa) the date when it is proposed the work will reach the point when it is to be regarded as commenced in accordance with regulation 46A (lapse of building control approval: commencement of work and
  (bb) where the work does not consist of work to which paragraph (2) or (3) of regulation 46A applies, details of the work which the client considers amounts to 15% of the proposed work.

There are also changes in statutory time limits relating to decision dates these will now be between a minimum of 5 weeks and any time as agreed in writing by both the applicant and the local authority.

Other changes include additional requirements surrounding the start of work and additional information that will need to be submitted on completion of works. These include but are not limited to:

• the names and contact details of the client, principal designer and principal contractor
• statement, signed by the client, confirming that to the best of the client’s knowledge the work complies with all applicable requirements of the building regulations
• statement, signed, from all principal contractors and principal designers involved in the project, with dates and details of which aspects of work they are/were responsible for and confirming that they fulfilled their duties under Part 2A of the regulations

There are similar requirements relating to commercial buildings that are to be occupied prior to completion.

Other changes of note include:

• works being considered unauthorised if no notice of commencement has been given in accordance with Regulation 16
• changes in the appeal process
• the need to supply fire safety information on occupation or completion
• increased emphasis energy performance specifically requiring the submission of energy efficiency calculations prior to starting work on site.

The above is only a very limited summary of some of the new requirements and is by no means complete. For a greater understanding you should review the full guidance  below and discuss how best you approach them with your own legal advisors, professional organisations and peer groups

Building Safety ebulletin: Building Control: secondary legislation and new guidance update | govdelivery.com

The Building Regulations (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 | legislation.gov.uk

Building Safety Levy: New information required with building control applications

Overview

From 1 October 2026, building control submissions for work creating one or more new dwellings or purpose-built student accommodation bedspaces in England, must include Building Safety Levy information. This applies even where the applicant considers that no levy will ultimately be payable, for example, because the development is below the charging threshold or an exemption is claimed. The requirement applies to applications for building control approval with full plans, higher-risk building applications and initial notices, together with relevant updated or variation submissions.

Information required at application or initial notice stage

• Identification of the client and the development, including the site address or location
• Confirmation of whether the work will create new ordinary residential dwellings, purpose-built student accommodation, or both
• The proposed number of new dwellings or student bedspaces included in the application
• Information identifying the wider development and relevant planning permission, including other phases where these affect whether the development is a major residential development
• An indication of whether an exemption or other basis for no charge is expected to apply, with the relevant category identified
• Any additional declarations and contact details specified in the statutory levy annex for the chosen building control route

Validation consequence: The levy information is mandatory. A full plans of higher-risk building application may be rejected if it is missing or incomplete, and a local authority must reject an initial notice that does not contain the required levy information.

A supplementary form is available for levy applicable applications

Further information required at commencement

The first commencement notice must be accompanied by the detailed information needed by the collecting authority to determine liability and calculate the levy. This is more extensive than the information supplied when the application or initial notice is first submitted.

• The final or current number of dwellings and purpose-built student accommodation bedspaces across the relevant development
• The chargeable residential floorspace, measurement in accordance with the Levy Regulations, with a supporting schedule sufficient to explain the calculation
• Details of the planning permission and development phrases used to establish the scope of the major residential development
• Whether the site qualifies as previously development land and the evidence supporting the reduced rate
• Details and evidence for any exempt person, dwelling, accommodation or development claimed, including the number and floorspace of exempt units where relevant
• Any other supporting documents needed to verify the information and enable the collecting authority to issue a Levy Liability Notice or Notice of No Charge

Where an approved inspector route is used through a Registered Building Control Approver, the client must also provide the collecting authority with the commencement notice, levy information and supporting evidence within the prescribed period.

Fees and charges

North Norfolk District Council's fees and charges was approved by Full Council in December 2024 and is available to view, during office hours, at the Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer.

The North Norfolk District Council Building Control Fees and Charges scheme has been updated and a new version comes into force for applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026.

Contact building.control@north-norfolk.gov.uk for further details of the scheme changes.

• Dwellings, domestic extensions and alterations
• Commercial, industrial and other non-domestic work

How to apply

Building control applications are now made through the Planning Portal. The benefits to you include:

• You can work on your applications in draft before submission
• Immediate delivery and acknowledgement of applications
• Online help functions for completing applications
• Online record of completed applications
• Single sign-on for planning and building control
• The ability to pull across key information from planning applications
• Fully compliant applications, always up-to-date with latest legislation
• Simple online payment

Start your application

Other ways to apply

Planning Portal is the national service for planning and building control applications, partnered with all local authorities in England. They simplify access to information and services. We recommend using Planning Portal to submit your building control applications. However you can still use one of the options below by completing the relevant forms:

• Application for building control approval with full plans (PDF)
• Building Notice Procedure application form (PDF)
• Building Safety Levy information (application stage) (PDF)
• Regularisation application form (PDF)