4. What happens if building control reject my plans?
If you have received a Rejection Notice, this means that your application for Building Control Approval with Full Plans has been assessed to be non-compliant and the application is of no effect. The notice will set out the reasons for rejection.
Provided site works have not started, you have the option to resubmit your application with a set of supplementary/amended plans. If the submitted amended plans demonstrate that your project will comply with the Building Regulations, we will be able to issue a decision notice confirming that the resubmitted application has been Granted or Granted with Requirements. Works may then progress.
Alternatively, if you think the decision to reject is not justified, you can refer the matter to the Secretary of State for The Environment, Transport, and the Regions for determination. Please note: you must apply for a determination before the work which is in dispute has commenced.
Where there is a mandatory requirement, you may ask the Local Authority to relax it, if you think that is justified. If they refuse, you may appeal to the Secretary of State within one month of their refusal.
A charge is payable for determinations but not appeals. The charge is half the Plan Charge, subject to a minimum of £50 and a maximum of £500.
Note: We recommend that you do not start work until your application has been Granted/Granted with Requirements. Where an application has been found to be non-compliant and is Rejected, any notifiable work which has already taken place will be deemed unauthorised work. Under these circumstances a resubmitted application cannot be accepted and a Completion Certificate cannot be provided and instead a retrospective Regularisation application will be required. Formal enforcement action may also be considered where appropriate.