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On 21st May the first Local Building Excellence Awards were held at Kelham Hall Newark & Sherwood District Council celebrating quality work undertaken within Gedling and Newark & Sherwood.
Gas Safe Register became the official stamp for gas safety in Great Britain and the Isle of Man on 1 April 2009. CORGI gas registration is not valid or recognised by law in these regions. To work legally on gas appliances and installations you must be on the Gas Safe Register. Get Gas Safe registered now, you can’t work without it.
Visit the Gas Safe website to register or find out more
With effect from Friday 1 January 2010, the VAT payable on applications has been returned to 17.5%. We have tried to ensure that the gross charge (including VAT) remains the same as previously so that charges are largely unaffected.
Whilst there are a few differences, in most instances the Plan Charge for a Full Plans submission remains at £150 (including VAT). Please download the following document for more information:
If you or your agent prepare drawings using a CAD based system you will soon be able to submit applications to us electronically. Submit A Plan has been installed to allow electronic delivery and runs in a similar fashion to the Planning portal for submitting Planning applications. We are still trialling the process but if you are keen to make use of this facility you can register at the link below and this will allow you to submit to most of the Authorities around the country as well as Gedling.
From April 1st 2008 it will be a legal requirement to produce an energy performance certificate (EPC) for all new dwellings
Came into effect on April 2nd 2007 Approved Document B was split into two sections, Volume 1 deals with Domestic properties and Volume 2 with Non Domestic. Changes include the removal of self closing devices to domestic properties in lieu of improved smoke detection and a protected staircase i.e. the inclusion of fire doors, requirements for residential sprinkler systems over a certain height and amendments to compartment sizes for non domestic buildings again in line with improved smoke detection and sprinkler systems. More details and the documents can be found on the Planning Portal website under Approved Document B
Came into effect on April 1st 2006 comprising AD L1a -New dwellings, AD L1b -Existing dwellings, AD L2a New buildings other than dwellings and AD L2b - Existing buildings other than dwellings. There are significant changes to the previous Approved Documents L1 and L2 further defining conservation of fuel and power. Most significant is the removal of the elemental approach for new buildings although it remains for extensions (L1b and L2b), a revamp of the SAP procedure (SAP 2005) including an alternative calculation method (SBEM) and a much greater emphasis on "second tier documentation" for reference and guidance on achieving effective design measures. More details and the documents can be found on the Planning Portal website under Approved Document L
Changes to Approved Document F came into effect on April 1st 2006, the document is available on the ODPM website. Principal changes include greater emphasis on passive stack ventilation to try and mitigate mechanical extract and therefore conservation of power, together with aggregated background ventilation in proportion to floor areas.
From 1st April 2005 amendments to AD L1 set out revised guidance on what is reasonable provision when installing gas and oil fired hot water central heating boilers in new and existing dwellings. From this date reasonable provision would be demonstrated by installing condensing boilers unless there are exceptional circumstances that make this too difficult
From the 1st January 2005 any new electrical wiring or electrical components for domestic premises or a small commercial premise linked to domestic accommodation, will be required to be designed and installed in accordance with the Building Regulations (Part P).
As a homeowner, builder or designer you need to be aware of your responsibilities under the Building Regulations when new electrical wiring and components are installed.
Non notifiable work - If the work is very minor (see Table 1 below) in nature all you have to do is ensure that any electrical work is installed in accordance with manufacturers instructions, and is done in such a way that it is safe. If you are in any way unsure about how to install new wiring, electrical sockets etc, then get a qualified electrician.
Notifiable work - Where the work does not fall within Table 1 (see Table 2 below), you have two methods of seeking approval.
1.The best method is to ensure that electrical work is installed via a member of one of the competent person’s schemes, these are;
Any member of the above organisations will be able to self certify their work complies with the relevant standards under the Building Regulations.
The Approving body will then notify us (The Local Building Control Body) that the work has been satisfactorily designed and installed and tested.
2.The Alternative method would be to submit either a Building Notice or Full Plans application for the works to your Local Authority.
What if the electrical work forms part of other building works or development?
The same process would apply if the installer of the electrical work is a member of one of the competent person's schemes. Their certificate would be fed into the Building Regulation Approval process. If the installer of the electrical work is not a member of a competent person’s body then the Local Building Control Body will require a completed copy of the Electrical Installation Certificate.
What are the consequences of not obtaining approval?
a.A Completion Certificate for the works (including the main development works if the electrical installation forms part of it, i.e. an extension) will not be issued. This will result in any future sale of the property from being compromised.
b.Possible enforcement Action by ourselves for failure to comply with the Building Regulations.
As the owner you need to ensure the works you are carrying out is either minor or notifiable work - if it is notifiable, make sure the persons carrying out the work are either registered under one of the schemes or that person carrying out the work will be able to certify their work under the Local Authority Building Control route.
As the designer you need to make sure you specify that the electrical work (if part of a general development scheme) will be designed, constructed and inspected and tested in accordance with the British Standard 7671 (The IEE Wiring Regulations) and will either fall under a competent persons scheme or the Local Authority Building Control Approval route.
As the Builder/developer you need to ensure that you have either electrical personnel who can either certify their work under on of the competent person’s bodies or are qualified/experience to enable them to sign off under the Electrical Installation Certification form.
Sitelines contains more information on how these regulations will apply to householders, Sitelines. The current edition of Sitelines is also available from the One stop shop at the Civic Centre
More information can be found on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister website, or you can contact Building Control for advice and information on 0115 9013740 or email buildingcontrol@gedling.gov.uk
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