Apply for building regulation approval

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.

• Building work you have not started

• Building work you have started or have finished

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.

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.

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

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.)

• Full Plan Procedure 
• Building Notice Procedure
• Regularisation application 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

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

• Full Plans Procedure application form(PDF)
• Building Notice Procedure application form (PDF)
• Regularisation application form (PDF)

Please post your application to the following address:

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