You need to make a building control application if you intend to make changes to an existing building (such as an extension to a house) or to build a new building. An application requires a fee.
Building control is different to planning permission and you might need both for your project. There are 2 main types of building control application: full plan and building notice. There are also regularisation and partnership applications. Descriptions of each application type are provided in the table below.
You may be fined, prosecuted or required pay to get work re-done if non-compliant work is discovered or if you carry out works without seeking approval.
Important information
If you choose to submit a Building Notice, you will not receive a Passing of Plans. It is the responsibility of you and your builder to ensure the work complies with the Building Regulations. A Building Notice should only be used where all parties are fully competent and familiar with the requirements of Regulation 11 of the Building Regulations. Any work found on site that does not comply may need to be altered or removed.
Full plans
A Full Plans application is required for all types of building work. Your submission must include the following:
- Application form: A fully completed Full Plans application form.
- Fee: You can pay the plan fee online when applying, or we will invoice you afterwards. An inspection fee will be invoiced once work begins.
- Site location plan: A plan at 1:1250 scale showing your property in relation to surrounding buildings, streets and boundaries. Plans can be purchased from the Ordnance Survey or other mapping providers.
- Drawings: Elevations, cross‑sections and floor plans (as relevant) at 1:100 or 1:50 scale.
- Specifications: Details of the materials, components and construction methods proposed.
- Calculations: Structural, thermal or other calculations where required to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations.
Once we receive your correctly completed application, we will send an acknowledgement letter to you and your architect or contractor.
We will then assess your plans for compliance with the Building Regulations. If any issues arise, we will notify you or your agent. If these issues are not resolved within 5 weeks (or 2 months if agreed), we must either reject the application or approve it with conditions that must be met before work starts.
If your application is rejected, you may resubmit amended plans for the same project without paying an additional fee.
Building notice
A Building Notice may be used as an alternative to a Full Plans application, but only for work relating to single private dwellings.
You must submit a Full Plans application if:
- you are building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer
- the property fronts a private road
Work must not begin until two working days after an acceptable Building Notice has been deposited with Building Control. Please provide written notice of commencement (email preferred), including your builder’s details and contact numbers.
What to include with a Building Notice
- Building Notice form: Fully completed.
- Building Notice fee: This includes both the plan fee and the inspection fee.
- Site location plan: Required only if the work involves the erection or extension of a building.
After accepting your notice and once work begins, we may request additional information depending on the project. This may include design drawings or structural calculations.
As with Full Plans applications, we will send written confirmation once your Building Notice has been accepted. Inspections will follow the same regime, and a completion certificate will be issued when the work is satisfactorily completed.
Regularisation
Used if works have begun without approval. This will retrospectively approve building works started without consent. You may need to lay open the works and make alterations to the building work to comply with the building regulations.
Partnership
Used by architects registered with the London Borough of Enfield under the LABC Partnership scheme for works outside the Enfield area.
Reversion
A reversion is used if a Registered Building Control Approver is no longer able to continue with an initial notice.
Your submission should include:
- Reversion application form: Fully completed
- Reversion fee
- plans, specifications and structural calculations
- site inspections from previous Registered Building Control Approver
- photographs
- test certificates and documentation
Building control fees
You can view a full list of all building control application charges (PDF, 218.33 KB).
Works costing more than £200,000 are not covered by our standard charges scheme. This charge depends on factors such as the scope of the works specified, floor area, estimated building cost and duration of work on site. View the quotation request form for work over £200,000 (PDF, 37.4 KB).
Please note: If you do not give us the information we need within 60 days of sending your application, your application will be withdrawn and treated as invalid. In this case, we will keep an administration fee to cover our costs. The fees we keep are:
- Building notice: £100
- Full plans: From £100. The amount we keep will depend on how far we have progressed with your application. If we have already checked your plans, the fee may be higher.
These fees also apply if you choose to withdraw your application after it has been registered.