What is the difference between planning permission and building regulations approval?
It is vital to consider both types of approval when undertaking a building project as they serve very different purposes and are enforced by different authorities.
In a nutshell:
- Planning Permission considers the appearance of a building and its impact on the local area.
- Examples of projects needing planning permission include new buildings or extensions and changes to a building’s exterior.
- Building Regulations focus on safety and compliance during construction.
- Building regulations apply to any work classified as 'building work' according to Regulation 3 of the Building Regulations.
- Many projects (e.g new builds) require both approvals — one to allow the development, the other to ensure it's done properly.
One of the main differences between planning permission and building regulations approval is the criteria each approval process focuses on. Planning permission is concerned with how a building will look and whether it will align with local planning policies. Whereas the focus of building regulations is how the building will be constructed and whether it will be carried out safely and correctly.
What is planning permission?
Planning permission is the approval given by local authorities for building work to be carried out. Essentially, it serves to answer the question ‘How will this building look and will it fit into the area?’.
The governing body responsible for overseeing planning permission will be the local planning authority, typically the local council. Projects requiring planning permission include: new buildings or extensions, changes to a building’s exterior or changing the use of a building (i.e. from a house to a shop).
To check if you need planning permission for your building project, contact your local council.
What is building regulations approval?
The Building Safety Regulations are a set of standards outlined by the government to ensure safety during construction. They are more focused on the technical details behind the project as opposed to the aesthetic result. Simply put, the question building regulations approval is designed to answer is “Is this being built safely and correctly?”.
When completing an application, you are qualifying that your project will be completed in line with the standards of construction and building control officers are responsible for providing approval. Alternatively, the government propose the ‘Use a competent person scheme’ in which you hire a tradesperson who has “proven their ability to carry out certain work to required standards instead of you applying for building regulations approval”.
Building regulations approval applies to anything that constitutes ‘building work’ as defined in Regulation 3 of the Building Regulations.
Do you need both?
It’s important to be able to distinguish between the approval processes as there are many cases where you’ll need both. For example, when constructing a new building, planning permission is needed to ensure the design, size, and placement of the building fit with local development rules. Whereas building regulations approval ensures the house is built safely, structurally sound, and meets standards for insulation, plumbing, wiring, fire safety, etc.
Likewise, for work on listed buildings, planning permission is needed for any alterations that affect the building's character and building regulations apply to ensure modern safety standards are met without compromising the heritage aspects.