{"id":752458,"date":"2024-08-20T07:30:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T06:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=752458"},"modified":"2024-10-01T12:07:06","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T11:07:06","slug":"the-regs-do-i-need-building-regs-approval-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/opinion\/the-regs-do-i-need-building-regs-approval-part-2","title":{"rendered":"The Regs: Do I need building regs approval? (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month we looked at the basics of what constitutes building work under Regulation 3(c) and what constitutes a material alteration. This month I take a look at 3(d) and the requirements relating to a material change of use. This is an often-forgotten part of the regulations and frequently misunderstood or confused with a change of use under the Town & Country Planning Acts. A material change of use under Building Regulations is defined thus:<\/span><\/p>\n

Regulation 5: Meaning of \u2018material change of use\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

There is a material change of use where there is a change in the purposes for which or the circumstances in which a building is used, so that after that change \u2013<\/p>\n

(a) the building is used as a dwelling, where previously it was not;<\/span><\/p>\n

(b) the building contains a flat, where previously it did not<\/span><\/p>\n

(c) the building is used as a hotel or a boarding house, where previously it was not<\/span><\/p>\n

(d) the building is used as an institution, where previously it was not<\/span><\/p>\n

(e) the building is used as a public building, where previously it was not<\/span><\/p>\n

(f) the building is no longer an exempt building, where previously it was<\/span><\/p>\n

(g) the building, which contains at least one dwelling, contains a greater or lesser number of dwellings than it did previously<\/span><\/p>\n

(h) the building contains a room for residential purposes, where previously it did not<\/span><\/p>\n

(i) the building, which contains at least one room for residential purposes, contains a greater or lesser number of such rooms than it did previously<\/span><\/p>\n

(j) the building is used as a shop, where previously it
\nwas not<\/p>\n

(k) the building is a building described in regulation 7(4)(a), where previously it was not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at each of those in more depth. The first scenario (a) is fairly simple \u2013 in this case any building being changed to be used as a dwelling is controlled \u2013 for example converting a barn to a dwelling. Scenarios (b), (c), (d), (e) and (j) are also fairly obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scenario (f) is a little more easy for people to get caught out. This covers buildings that are exempt from building regulations \u2013 such as buildings that are not frequented by people (or only frequented for maintenance). Here simply creating a desk space or office area for a caretaker to work within an exempt detached building would fall within this scenario, even though no \u2018building work\u2019 was actually undertaken. Another example is changing a detached home office building at the bottom of a garden to include sleeping accommodation or even recladding it with combustible cladding or insulation in some cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps the most common example is when a conservatory is altered so that it is no longer a conservatory: typically, changing the roof or removing the patio doors. An unusual case can be a car port. To be exempt, a car port has to be open on two sides. Sometimes work can be carried out to a neighbouring property, such as building up to the boundary and supporting the car port roof on the new wall, that means that the car port is no longer exempt, as it is no longer open on two sides.<\/span><\/p>\n

People often get caught out by scenario (g). For example, there are cases where there is a door in the party wall between two houses. Technically, bricking that up creates a new dwelling, as you can no longer pass between them. But did you realise that unbricking it to make it back into a single dwelling is also a material change, as it becomes a \u2018lesser number\u2019 of dwellings? Another example is swapping a converted Victorian property from flats to a single house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scenarios (h) and (i) means a room which is not a house or a flat and which is used by one or more persons to live and sleep. This could cover a room in a hostel, hotel, boarding house, hall of residence or residential care home. (NB it excludes a hospital room, or other similar establishment, used for patient accommodation). This can again catch people out, as simply changing a store room in a care home into a bedroom would be a material change of use. Equally, converting a bedroom into a store room would also be caught as, once again, the regulation applies to a greater or lesser<\/i> number of residential rooms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scenario (k) has huge implications, as this relates to the ban on combustible materials and covers buildings with a storey at least 18m above ground and contains a dwelling, institution or rooms for residential purposes. Remember that the definition here is different to that for a high-rise building (HRB), which stipulates two or more residential units, so beware of confusing the two. Adding a single dwelling might not make it a HRB but could mean that Regulation 7 now applies, where previously it did not.<\/span><\/p>\n

If in doubt, always check with a Registered Building Inspector. You may find that what you thought was a simple project with very little work required suddenly becomes a lot more complex than you had anticipated!<\/span><\/p>\n

Geoff Wilkinson is managing director of Wilkinson Constructions Consultants (www.wilkinsoncc.co.uk) and a Class 3G and 3H Registered Building Inspector. He will host the AJ\u2019s Building Safety Masterclasses in October and November.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last month we looked at the basics of what constitutes building work under Regulation 3(c) and what constitutes a material alteration. This month I take a look at 3(d) and the requirements relating to a material change of use. This is an often-forgotten part of the regulations and frequently misunderstood or confused with a change …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80389,"featured_media":752467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[745],"tags":[5727,69959],"yoast_head":"\nThe Regs: Do I need building regs approval? 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