Building Regulations

STG Approved Document A image Building Regulations are approved by Parliament and set out minimum design and building work standards for the construction of domestic and commercial buildings.

The Building Regulations contain a list of requirements designed to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings, to provide for energy conservation, and provide access and facilities for people with disabilities. These regulations have 13 parts and they are expressed in broad, functional terms to enable designers and builders to use innovative methods in preparing their plans.

Each part is supported by its "Approved Document" which reproduces the requirement contained in the Building Regulations. This is followed by practical and technical guidance with examples on how the regulations can be met in some more common types of buildings. If an alternative method of meeting the requirements can be shown, there is no obligation to adopt any particular solution shown in an Approved Document. If an alternative method is used, proof showing the method must be at least equivalent to that shown in the Approved Documents.

General advice documents are available to download:

General Building Work Leaflet (157 kb)
Building Regulations Explanatory Booklet (1.2 Mb)

Applying for Building Regulations approval

If you are proposing to carry out work to a property to which the Building Regulations apply, you must submit one of the following:

  • a full plans application
  • a building notice.

If you have already carried out the work which requires building regulations consent, you will need to submit a regularisation application

The Approved Documents can be purchased from The Stationery Office website or Telephone 0870 600 55 22

Downloads are available from the Planning Portal website.