Certain buildings are considered by the Department for Communities and Local Government to be exempt from the requirements of the Building Regulations. These are generally those types of buildings where the application of the regulations would be unreasonable. In such cases you may build without having to make a Building Regulation Submission.

Even though your proposals may be exempt from the requirements of the Building Regulations you may still require Planning Consent. This has to be applied for separately and advice should be obtained from The Development Control Department, Tel. 01925 442819.

Conservatories & porches

This information is provided to give advice with regards to the requirements of the Building Regulations to people considering the addition of a porch or conservatory.

Conservatories and porches do not require Building Regulations consent, providing the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The floor area does not exceed 30 sq.m. (323 sq.ft.)
2. The walls and roof of the conservatory must be substantially glazed with a transparent or translucent material.
3. The glazing in the conservatory or porch must meet the requirements for safety glazing.
4. There is no ‘open’ connection between the conservatory or porch and the dwelling, i.e. the conservatory or porch forms a separate room.
5. Any heating installed should have its own separate temperature and on/off controls.         

Requirements for safety glazing

The building regulations require that any glazing in ‘critical’ locations must either:

• break in a way unlikely to cause injury, or
• resist impact without breaking, or
• be shielded or protected from impact.        

In general this will mean using toughened or laminated glass. In the case of double glazing this will mean both the inside and outside panes.

Critical locations

The ‘critical’ locations where safety glazing is required are those shown shaded. If any part of a pane falls within the shaded zone the whole pane must be toughened or laminated glass.

Shaded areas show critical locations to which requirement N1 applies (i.e. glazing in areas numbered 2.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11).

Means of escape

Your conservatory or porch should not restrict ladder access to windows which may be required for means of escape in event of a fire particularly those serving a room in the roof or loft conversion.

Planning permission

Compliance with building regulations does not imply any approval under the Town and Country Planning Act.

You should always check with the planning department whether or not a planning application will be required. 

Detached garages & garden sheds

This information is provided to give advice with regards to the requirements of the building regulations to people considering the erection of a small detached garage or garden store.

Building regulations

Under the building regulations single storey detached garages and garden stores do not require consent providing the following conditions are satisfied. 

1. If the floor area does not exceed l5sq.m (16 sq. ft) constructed of any materials or 
2. If the building is sited 1 metre or more from the boundary and the floor area does not exceed 30 sq.m (322 sq.ft) constructed of any material or 
3. If the building is sited within 1 metre of the boundary and has a floor area of less than 30 sq.m (322 sq.ft) and the building is constructed substantially of non-combustible material.         

If your proposed building does not fall into the above categories approval will be required. Please contact your Building Control office for form A and further information. (tel 01925 442819)

Planning permission

Compliance with building regulations does not imply any approval under the Town and Country Planning Act.

You should always check with the planning department whether or not a planning application will be required. Tel 01925 442819.

Examples of construction

The following are examples of construction considered to be substantially non-combustible.

Roofs (pitched)

1. Concrete tiles or slates on timber roof trusses or rafters. 
2. Sheet roofs of steel or fibrous cement on steel or timber roof trusses.        

Roofs (flat) 

1. Timber roof joists and timber deck with built up roof felt (3 layers) and finished with 12mm of limestone chippings.
2. Sheet roofs of steel or fibrous cement on steel or timber sheeting rails.        

Walls

1. Brickwork or blockwork
2. Pre-cast concrete panels
3. Steel or fibrous cement sheets on steel frames.        

Recommendations for structural stability

Foundations

For buildings constructed of brickwork or blockwork concrete strip foundations constructed on undisturbed natural ground approximately 450mm wide 200mm thick at a depth of 750mm are recommended.

Brick or block external walls

Single leaf (100mm) external walls should not exceed 3 metres in height.

Note: The timber sizes given are only a sample of those given in the Approved Document A of the Building Regulations. For the full range of sizes available you should refer to that document.

Car ports & covered yards

1. Car ports

The requirements of the Building Regulations do not apply to a carport extension at ground level provided that it is open on two or more sides and the floor area does not exceed 30 sq. metres

2. Covered yards & covered ways

The requirements of the Building Regulations do not apply to a covered yard or covered way extension at ground level provided that the floor area does not exceed 30 sq. metres and any glazing meets the requirements of Part N Safety Glazing

Temporary buildings

The requirements of the Building Regulations 1991 do not apply to a building which is not intended to remain where it is erected for more than 28 days.

Note: You should always check with the Planning Department whether or not a planning application will be required. Tel: 01925 442819. 

Agricultural buildings

1. Greenhouses A commercial greenhouse is exempt from compliance with building regulations providing the principal use is not for retailing, packing or exhibiting.

2. Agricultural buildings which include buildings which are principally used for the keeping of animals, horticulture, fruit growing, the growing of plants for seed and fish farming are also exempt from building regulations subject to the following conditions:

(i) No part of the building is used as a dwelling
(ii) No part of the building is less than one and a half times its height from any point of a building which contains sleeping accommodation
(iii) The building is provided with a fire exit which is not more than 30 metres from any point in the building

Note: You should always check with the Planning Department whether or not a planning application will be required. Tel: 01925 442819.

For more information on any of the above, contact:

Building Control, Building Control, Environment Services, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, WA1 2NH.

01925 442553  Email: building.control@warrington.gov.uk