Application for Building Control Approval with Full Plans
The Building Act 1984, The Building Safety Act 2022, The Building Regulations 2010, The Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023.
Full plans applications must be used for commercial projects and are recommended for major or complex domestic work. Unlike a building notice, you will need to submit detailed information before an approval can be given and you may need professional advice from an architect or structural engineer in order to do this.
What you need to submit
As part of the application you'll need to provide any supporting information relevant to your request, such as a plan that shows the proposed works or any photographs or calculations.
After you apply
When your plans are approved to building regulations standards, further information is only needed if the work varies from the approved plan. Approval can take up to 5 weeks and agreed extensions of time can be arranged.
A full plans application can take longer than a building notice, but generally they carry less risk as your builder will follow a plan that is compliant with building regulations. Work can start once the application is made, although if you begin before the plans are approved this is at your own risk.
Applications to the Building Safety Regulator
From 1 October 2023, any Building Control application that covers a High-rise Residential Building should be submitted to the Building Safety Regulator, instead of a Local Authority or an Approved Inspector.
A High-rise Residential Building is defined as a structure (or connected structures) which has:
- at least 7 floors or is at least 18 metres in height
- at least 2 residential units.
In such cases, you should not complete this form. Instead, please view the guidance on GOV.UK about preparing and making an application to the Building Safety Regulator.
Not all of the information requested on this form is needed for applications in Wales, however, the extra information will still be of use.