Pendle Borough Council
Market Street, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 7LG
Tel: 01282 661661 Fax: 01282 661130
What is Building Control?
The Building Control system exists to make sure that buildings are properly designed and constructed so as to ensure the health, safety, welfare and convenience of people using them and to limit the emissions of carbon dioxide (greenhouse gasses).
The current Building Regulations are the Building Regulations 2000.
The principal areas covered by the regulations are:
1. Structural stability - will the building safely carry anticipated loadings or will it fall down!
2. Fire precautions - both controlling the materials used according to the degree of risk and making sure that buildings could be evacuated without loss of life in the event of a fire.
3. The prevention of dampness and condensation in buildings.
4. Sound resistance of walls and floors between dwellings
5. Ventilation of habitable rooms and unheated voids.
6. Hygiene, sanitary appliances and drainage.
7. Heating appliances including the safe discharge of flue gasses.
8. Stairways, ramps and vehicle barriers.
9. Conservation of fuel and power. Is the building properly insulated etc.
10. Access to buildings and facilities for disabled people.
11. The safe positioning of glazing in windows and doors etc.
How does it work?
Building Control generally operates as a two-stage process, referred to as the Full Plans application.
The first stage (known as the plan stage) involves the applicant submitting detailed plans for approval. These plans are very carefully checked by a Building Control Officer to ensure that all necessary information is shown, and that it complies fully with the Building Regulations. Wherever possible, applicants are given the opportunity to make amendments (if required) before either an approval, conditional approval or rejection is given.
The second stage (inspection stage) starts when work commences on site after which a series of site visits are made to check that the work proceeds in accordance with the plan, and hence complies with the regulations. For more simple works an alternative, called the Building Notice application, is also available together with more specialised application types to meet specific needs.
We are part of Planning and Building Control and provide Building Control Services to the people who live and construct buildings in Pendle. Over the years, we have developed a customer services approach and see ourselves as a member of the construction team rather than a control service. Almost all building work requires approval under the Building Regulations.
Our main purpose is to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings.
Our services consist of...
1. Building Regulations Applications and Enforcement
2. Dangerous Buildings and Demolitions
3. Entertainment and Theatre Licencing Surveys
Building Control's main purpose is to provide a Building Regulations service to those people who carry out building work in Pendle. The service includes advice, support, plan checking and site inspections and is intended to help you comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations.
Every construction project, no matter how large or small can have its difficulties but we are here to help solve them with you. In order to facilitate this we offer pre-application advice to help sort out problems before they arise. This service is particularly suited to larger projects but could still be appropriate for some smaller works. Please contact us if you would like more information or advice.
There can be confusion as to when and if Building Regulation approval is required. Information is included on the difference between Planning and Building Control.
As part of our commitment to looking after our customers we aim to:
Plan Checking
- check 85% of applications within 10 working days and 99% within 15 working days
- ensure that any requests for additional information are clear and unambiguous
- work closely with applicants and their agents
Site Inspection
- offer a same day inspection service for requests made before 10:30 am
- maintain accurate records of site visits
- provide a certificate upon satisfactory completion of the work
All Services
- answer your queries
- be helpful and polite
- deal with your complaints
- take note of what you say
- provide an impartial and independent service
Dangerous Buildings
Dangerous Buildings are controlled by the Council under Sections 77 and 78 of the Building Act 1984.
We respond to all reports of dangerous buildings, walls and structures within the Borough on a 24 hour 365 days a year basis. We try to inspect any building or structure reported as being dangerous within two hours. You can contact us, at Building Control, during office hours by telephoning 01282 661722, or out of normal working hours on the Council's Emergency Switchboard on 01282 661999.
If the building or structure poses a potential danger to the safety of people, we take the appropriate action to remove the danger. We have legal powers to require the owners of buildings or structures to remedy the defects or we direct our contractors to carry out works to make the building or structure safe. In addition, we provide advice on the structural condition of buildings during fire fighting to the Fire Brigade, or to the Police in the case of vehicular damage.
Demolitions
Under Section 80 of the Building Act 1984 anyone intending to carry out demolition work is required to notify the Council. This generally applies to the demolition of any building or part of a building greater than 1750 cubic feet. Further details are shown in the extract from the Building Act at the end of this section but if you are in any way unsure please contact us. Notice should be given in writing and should include details of the building to which it relates and the works of demolition intended to be carried out. The Council then has six weeks to respond with appropriate notices and consultation under Sections 81 and 82 of the Act. This process normally only takes a few days.
Extract from Building Act 1984
80.-(1) This section applies to the demolition of the whole or part of a building except
a. a demolition in pursuance of a demolition order made under the Housing Act 1957, and
b. a demolition-
i. of an internal part of a building, where the building is occupied and it is intended that it should continue to be occupied,
ii. of a building that has a cubic content (as ascertained by external measurement) of not more than 1750 cubic feet, or, where a greenhouse, conservatory, shed or prefabricated garage forms part of a larger building, of that greenhouse, conservatory, shed or prefabricated garage,
or iii. without prejudice to sub-paragraph (ii) above, of an agricultural building (as defined in section 26 of the General Rate Act 1967), unless it is contiguous to another building that is not itself an agricultural building or a building of a kind mentioned in that sub-paragraph.
