Partnering with your Local Authority

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A common criticism of local authority building control was the inconsistency of interpretation by different councils of the Building Regulations and the Approved Documents which support them. This is no longer the case.

What is partnering?

Local Authority Building Control offers the opportunity for individuals, practices and companies to 'Partner' with a single local authority. The benefits are:

  • no binding contracts;
  • no restriction of individual choice;
  • no signing-up fees, annual membership fees, additional project fees beyond the building control fee each project normally attracts.

The Partner Authority Scheme developed by LABC Services in conjunction with local authority building control service groups throughout England and Wales, enables a company (the Partner Company) to partner with a local authority of its choice, (Partner Authority). The Partner Authority carries out the plan checking element of any building regulation applications the Partner Company makes in England and Wales. All inspections during the construction stages are made by the building control group of the local authority where the work is carried out.

What are the benefits to the Partner Company?

  • Single point of contact at design stage;
  • pre-submission discussions and advice;
  • consistency of regulatory interpretation;
  • local knowledge and expertise;
  • local working relationships between the Partner and Inspecting Authorities with other service areas such as the Fire Service, Water and Sewerage Undertaker, Highways Authority, Planning Officers;
  • archived information such as ground conditions, past site activity, map of sewers;
  • nearly 400 local offices and staff for local and quick responses to site visit requests;
  • assistance in reducing building regulation related construction delays to a minimum;
  • You can also benefit from LANTAC (Local Authority National Type Approval Consortium) approvals for buildings, systems and processes which can be added to the benefits of Partnering.