Service Level Agreement

The Building Control section aims to approve all Building Regulation submissions, inspect all jobs from commencement to completion and to provide advice on Building Regulation matters.

We will provide the following service, subject to having a full complement of staff:  

1) Applications

1. Full Plans applications
   1. validate Plan Fee, and advise of shortfall or overpayment within 7 working days, for 95% of applications
   2. domestic applications: assess plans, and where plans comply, approve them, or where appropriate, notify the applicant/agent of observed contraventions that require amending to enable the work to comply with Building Regulations or where additional information is required, all within 21 days of receipt, for 75% of applications 
   3. non-domestic applications: Procedure as in (ii) above but note all within 35 days of receipt, for 75% of applications 
   4. asess amended plans as received for domestic and non-domestic applications, and approve the application or notify the applicant/agent as above, within 14 days, for 80% of amended applications
   5. 100% of initial assessments to be completed within 56 days of receipt of application.
2. Building Notice applications
   1. validate Plan Fee, and advise of shortfall or overpayment within 7 working days, for 95% of applications
   2. domestic situation: when provided, the area Surveyor to appraise the plans and establish the requirements under Parts C, D, E, F, H and R of the Building Regulations prior to commencement on site.
3. Regularisation Applications
   1. validation and arrange inspection within 7 working days, for 95% of applications
   2. following the first inspection of the works and where the works do not comply with all the relevant requirements, notify the applicant/agent, of any parts that require adjustment to enable the work to comply with the Building Regulations, all within 7 days of inspection, for 90% of applications.
4. Type Approvals

buildings of the same design and construction may obtain a ‘Type Approval’ from a Council. This can be submitted to any Council and will mean that the application will not require further assessment other than substructure and drainage.

2) Site Inspections

1. endeavour to carry out inspections in relation to Full Plans and Building Notice applications on the same day, if a request is made before 10.30 am - for 90% of requests (out of hours inspections will be carried out by arrangement i.e. 8.00am – 9.00am and 5.00pm – 6.00pm)
2. Regularisation Inspections will be arranged within 2 days of validation of application for 75% of applications
3. accept requests for inspection in person, by phone, letter, fax, e-mail, etc
4. carry out inspections to examine areas of work as detailed in ‘Appendix A’
5. where requested, surveyors will record details of their observations on the Building Control software package. Where the file is not available, record the inspection observations into the A5 diary at the time of the inspection and re-enter those observations on the Building Control software package as soon as possible after the inspection.

3) Completions and Regularisations

1. Completion Inspections
   1. every project will be taken to completion stage and, upon satisfactory completion, a Completion Certificate issued automatically within 7 days of the final inspection (provided all fees have been paid)
   2. un-responded non-compliance lists (BR14) to be checked after 28 days / 3 months and progressed to Contravention Notice if considered applicable.
2. Regularisation Inspections
   1. issue Regularisation Certificate upon satisfactory compliance of the work with the relevant regulations within 7 days of the final inspection
   2. un-responded non-compliance lists (BR14) to be checked after 28 days / 3 months and progressed to Contravention Notice if considered applicable
   3. un-responded non-compliance list to be checked after 6 months and grant /refuse application for a Regularisation Certificate.

4) Plans Of No Effect

A ‘Plans of No Effect’ Notice will, in accordance with Building Control Procedural Guidance, be issued within 1 month of the expiry date.

5) General

Respond to 90%of letters within 14 days.

6) Advice

1. basic procedural advice will be provided promptly by administration staff
2. pre-submission consultation will be provided within 35 days of receipt of the relevant information.

7) System of Continuous Improvement

1. the principles of "best value" will be followed to maximise efficiency, effectiveness and provide a high quality professional service, which is independent and impartial
2. customers will be consulted regularly to determine their changing requirements and to establish areas for improvement of the service
3. audits will be undertaken in accordance with the Building Control Audit Guidance Document.

8) Training

Make available 30 hours of Continuous Professional Development per year for the Building Control team to progress their personal development and keep professional and technical officers up to date with the Regulations, systems and procedures, construction techniques and building materials and to assist them in the execution of their duties.

9) Property Certificates

Complete and return Building Regulation and Postal Numbering property certificate requests within 7 working days for 90% of all property enquiries or within 10 working days for 100% of all property enquiries.

10) Complaints

To submit a complaint via the Council’s Complaints procedure please visit: https://www.newrymournedown.org/complaints-to-the-council

11) Freedom Of Information Request (FOI)

Respond to FOI requests within 20 days in accordance with the relevant legislation.