Who are we and what do we do?

Welcome to CNC Building Control.

CNC provides the building control functions for the Local Authority areas of South Norfolk, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Fenland, Norwich City and Broadland. Building Control is a statutory requirement on the vast majority of building projects (including internal alterations and conversion works) irrespective of whether planning permission has been required or not.

It is the process of ensuring projects are completed in accordance with the Building Regulations and exists to ensure that the safety and well-being of any person is not compromised by changes or work that takes place.

In short, CNC are able to support you through your project from pre-planning and commencement through to project completion and issuing of certification.

We look forward to working with you.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE BUILDING REGULATIONS

The 1^st October saw the introduction of numerous changes to the Building Regulations through the Building Safety Act and its associated legislation. These changes were extensive and included the following:

HIGHER RISK RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Applications for new or altered High Risk Residential Buildings (HRBs) must now be made to the new Building Safety Regulator. The client, designer or contractor can no longer choose whether to apply to the Local Authority Building Control or to private Registered Building Control Approvers (Approved Inspectors), these applications have to now go to the Building Safety Regulator.

In addition, all existing HRBs need to be registered with the Regulator.

Further information can be found at https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/157/2023/09/23_040-BCA-FAQ-Explainer.pdf and https://www.hse.gov.uk/building-safety/regulator.htm

DUTYHOLDERS

With some of the new regulations, there is a fundamental shift in emphasis on the role of the client, their agent and Building Control with the introduction of very clear requirements regarding dutyholders and their competence.

A client will now be required to make suitable arrangements for planning, managing, and monitoring a project to ensure compliance with The Building Regulations. To do this, they must appoint a Principal Contractor and a Principal Designer who are competent to undertake that type of work. They must also provide full details of those appointed to Building Control and of any subsequent changes in these roles. If they fail to do so or are “domestic clients” then the designer in control of the design phase of the project will automatically become the Principal Designer and the contractor in control of the construction phase of the project will become the Principal Contractor.

Further information can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2214/part/2A

APPLICATIONS FOR APPROVAL WITH FULL PLANS (Full Plans Applications)

A lot more information must now be submitted as part of an application, such as full client details, full principal designer details and full principal contractor details. Details are also required of the height of the building, number and use of each storey, etc. If this supplementary information is not provided, then the application cannot be accepted as valid until that information is provided and this may cause delays in the vetting of the application and/or inspection of work on site.

Supplementary information for can be downloaded here Download

NOTIFICATIONS

New regulations require that several notifications are sent to the Local Authority at various stages and in certain situations.

If when an application is made details of the principal contractor are not known, then this must be notified within 14 days of the appointment being made. There is a similar requirement to notify if client and/or contractor, and/or designer changes during the course of building work.

Formal notification must now be given when the work reaches a stage known as “commencement”. This is different to notifying that work has started, and is a stage when foundations are cast and floor is in place or when 15% of alteration work is carried out. If work has not reached this “commencement” stage within 3 years of an application being made, then the work is considered “lapsed”/out of time and a new application will be required if work is to progress. This now applies to each individual plot on a site.

A formal notification must now be given when work is complete and, if its is subject to the RRO Fire Safety Order (non-domestic), when it is to be occupied.

Additional form are available on our download page

We can help you in numerous ways, including: