Changes to planning permission requirements for domestic extensions means that, in some circumstances, home owners no longer need planning permission for extensions up to eight metres long for detached houses, and six metres long for semi-detached or terraced properties. However, these changes only apply to planning legislation. Building regulations have not changed and approval is still required.
The Building Control Service helps to ensure that buildings are safe, accessible, thermally efficient and healthy to live in and around. This means that the majority of building work requires building regulation approval from changes to drainage and knocking two rooms into one to large projects such as extensions and loft conversions.
CouncilBuilding Control Manager, Iain Houston, says: “Building regulations approval does not mean the same as obtaining planning permission for your work. In the same way, being granted planning permission is not the same as taking action to ensure that the work complies with building regulations. If you are having construction work carried out it is essential that you have the correct approval and that you obtain a completion certificate when the works are complete, as this is a very important document and will be vital when you come to sell the property.”
Councillor Andrew McKinlay, Cabinet Member for Built Environment, added: “Building regulations are legal requirements intended to achieve a minimum standard for building work. With the recent changes to planning legislation we want to remind residents that this does not affect the requirement to gain building regulation approval.”
Detailed information about what needs approval is available on the Council website www.cheltenham.gov.uk/buildingcontrol and on the Planning Portal www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/buildingregulations
