Apply for building regulation approval

Before starting any building work to your property you should check if you require a building regulations application.

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 so as to ensure compliance with The Building Regulations. In order to do this they must appoint a Principal contractor and a Principal designer who are competent to undertake the work in accordance with regulation 11F and 11G and 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 design phase of the project will automatically become the principal designer, and the contractor in control of the construction phase of the project 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 the submission of additional information when giving an application for building control approval with full plans (formerly referred to as a full plans application) and for this reason we will be temporarily suspending the use of our online application portal. Details of these changes can be found 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
  • The 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
  • A 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
  • A 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 & new guidance update (govdelivery.com)

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

When should I make an application?

You should apply for building regulation approval before you start work. If you have started without applying we may still be able to give you approval but you need to tell us straight away.

Building work undertaken without an application may not meet the regulations and pose a risk to the health and safety of occupants of the building, cause unnecessary delays when selling the property and may result in the Council taking enforcement action against you.

Fees and charges

North Norfolk District Council's fees and charges was approved by Full Council in December 2023 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 2024.

For further details of the scheme changes please contact building.control@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Further information - Building regulation charges

Our charges are set to cover the cost of providing the service. 

  • We are required to break even over a continuing cycle in terms of total income, it is also required to break even on individual project categories (i.e. larger projects should not subsidise smaller ones).
  • Refunds or extra charges can be set where the level of activity varies considerably from that originally expected.  Similarly additional charges can be added where expert advice or consultation has to be bought in (e.g electrical testing where a competent tradesman has not been used, structural engineering checking etc).
  • Although straightforward projects will have standard charges, many more charges than before will be individually determined and agreed.

Where this occurs and the scheme you are submitting falls outside the standard charges, shown in the enclosed documents, it will be necessary for us to establish the charges for the project from the plans and specification.  This will be based on the estimated time it will take us to check the plans and undertake the necessary inspections.  When this happens  we must then inform you, in writing, of the charge we intend to make for the project.

Where this is likely to occur we suggest that you deposit the application and supporting information, without the fee. We will then be able to establish the fee for the project from the details submitted.  We will then inform you of the fee.  Once payment has been received we can register the application and commence the checking procedure.

  • Charges will be set to cover the actual time and effort involved in providing the service.  The total charge when using a Building Notice will not always be the same as Full Plans (sometimes the Building Notice process will be more expensive).
  • As local authorities’ hourly rates and costs vary it is likely that charges will vary geographically across the country. Within Norfolk Authorities we are trying to maintain a degree of consistency in the classification of projects and the associated charges.

How to pay

When we have processed your application we will supply you with a reference number and the required amount to pay. When you have received this information you can make a secure online payment by selecting the button below.

Make payment

Other ways to pay

Before making a payment you will need your application reference number. 

Online banking

For online banking, make the payment directly to the council's bank account:

Account Name: North Norfolk District Council 
Sort Code: 20-62-61
Account Number: 70294845

You must include your application reference number.

By post

Cheques should be made payable to North Norfolk District Council, and have your application reference number written on the back of the cheque. Please do not send cash through the post.

This can be posted to:

Building Control
North Norfolk District Council
Holt Road
Cromer
Norfolk
NR27 9EN

By phone

You can pay by credit/debit card by telephoning Customer Services on 01263 516294, during office hours, quoting your application reference number. 

Please note, your application cannot proceed further, until the application charge has been received by the council.

Other ways to apply

Following the changes in regulations detailed above, our online form is being updated to include the new requirements. However you can still use one of the options below.

Planning Portal

You can apply for building regulation approval via the Planning Portal. 

Email

We accept building control applications and supporting documents as attachments to an email.

Please read the section Attachments below before making an application

Making an application

Download the relevant forms (you will need MS Word to edit the form.)

  1. Complete and save a copy of the application form.
  2. Name and save copies of any MS Office format files you are going to send.
  3. Name and save any photos, to JPG format.
  4. Name and convert to PDF, any CAD drawings to be sent.
  5. Start an email to building.control@north-norfolk.gov.uk. Include your name, contact details and a list of the files you are attaching. Include any other details that are relevant. e.g the planning application number of any Development Control application for the same site if there is one, and the Officer's name to whom you have spoken to about the application.
  6. Please indicate which method of payment you will be using.
  7. Attach the files to the email.
  8. Check the email and send it

Attachments

Individual attachments to an email must not exceed 5MB in size and the total size of attachments to one email must not exceed 25MB. Please send attachments in the following formats:

  • Text - .txt, .pdf, MS Office .doc, .xls, .ppt

  • Video - mpg, avi, wmv
  • Photographs - jpg
  • CAD drawings - please convert these to PDF

By post

You can make an application by post by filling in the relevant forms:

Please post your application to the following address:

Building Control
North Norfolk District Council
Council Offices
Holt Road
Cromer
NR27 9EN