Planning is generally for any change of use (residential into commercial
etc) or for size changes and maybe visual changes (esp when facing the road
I believe). These are more 'environmental' issues (although not Green Party
environment stuff, if you see what I mean).

Building control etc are to do with how the work is done, and is certainly
required for any structural work (if you've talked to a structural engineer
chances are you'll need building control). These areas tend to cover the
materials and methods, along with meeting various insulation and energy
saving initiatives.

D


Tim Smith wrote:
Thanks Mike,

I did see the waffle about lack of resources on their website !

So would I be correct in assuming that planning permission would
probably be for something like increasing teh size of the house etc
whereas building notice is for something more minor.

Presumably the council will tell me if they require full plans ?

The lady I spoke to said that with a building notice, I could in fact
start work within 24hrs (although we arent doing this). What would
happen then if I submit the building notice and did start work within
24hrs and the council then told me that I needed to submit full
plans...
Thanks again

Tim

"Mike" wrote in message
...

"Tim Smith" wrote in message
...
Hi there

We are hoping to have some work done at home and I am trying to
understand
what approvals etc I need.

I have rung the building controls department at our local council
(Stockport) and I am not really any clearer.

Basically our old kitchen at the back of the house had an extension
built onto it probably 15 years or so ago (not done by us). There
is a doorway (with no door) through the old external wall from the
old kitchen to the new kitchen.

Basically we had a builder round to ask if it was possible to
remove the rest of the old external wall and open up the two rooms
into one. He had a
structural engineer round who did the calculations and confirmed
that it was possible and calculated the size of the steel etc.

This work is hopefully going to start in a week or so, but whilst
watching
Property Ladder last night it suddenly dawned on us that we
probably needed some kind of permissions. I rang the council and
tried to explain what we were doing. The lady told me that I either
needed planning permission (with full plans) or a building notice.
Apparently with a building notice, I can
have the work started almost immediately anyway.

It's not planning permission but either a full plans or building
notice submission to building control. Given the state Stockport BC
are in (admitted on their own web site even) I'd go for a building
notice.