Part 3: Building Act 1984 Building control authorities and building regulations Section 37: Determination of certain applications by Secretary of State or Welsh Ministers Background
Currently developers can start building work when they have deposited plans and given the local authority notification of commencement or submitted a building notice. The new regime will require building control approval to be obtained before starting most kinds of building work on higher-risk buildings, and it will be an offence to undertake most higher-risk building work without first having building control approval. To minimise the risk of causing undue delays to construction, applicants will be able to apply to the appropriate national regulator for a decision in cases where the prescribed timescale for the building control authority to make a decision has passed with no extension agreed.