In Architecture, Building plans

What is “minor building work”?

The best way of confirming whether you need planning permission or not for your new structure, is to ask yourself if you are doing new foundations, wall or roofing. Any one of these three will automatically qualify you in having to draw up building plans for submission and approval.

The Act states very well in Part A: General Principles and Requirements, that any structural building work that is defined as “minor building work” requires approval by your local authority’s building control officer before you can commence with any work . Minor works still need to go though the proper planning procedures for approval.

Temporary Buildings

Short-term structures [including builders’ sheds, on-site toilets, garden sheds and wendy houses] also need permission from the local authority.

The Definition of “minor building work” in Terms of the Law

  1. Poultry houses that are no more than ten square metres in size,
  2. Aviaries that are no bigger than 20 square metres,
  3. Solid fuel stores (for storing wood, coal, anthracite or similar) that are no more than ten square metres in area and no higher than two metres,
  4. Tool sheds that are smaller than ten square metres,
  5. Childrens’ playhouses that are no more than five square metres,
  6. Cycle sheds no more than five square metres,
  7. Greenhouses that are a maximum 15 square metres,
  8. Open-sided car, caravan or boat shelters or carports that do not exceed 40 square metres in size,
  9. Any freestanding wall built with masonry, concrete, steel, aluminum, or timber or any wire fence that does not exceed 1,8 m in height at any point above ground level and does not retain soil,
  10. Any pergola,
  11. Private swimming pool (although most local authorities do insist on plans),
  12. Change room at a private swimming pool not exceeding 10 sq m in area.
  13. The replacement of a roof (or part of a roof) with the same or similar materials,
  14. The conversion of a door into a window, or a window into a door, without increasing the width of the opening,
  15. The making of an opening in a wall that doesn’t affect the structural safety of the building concerned,
  16. The partitioning or enlarging of any room by the erection or demolition of an internal wall, as long as it doesn’t affect the structural safety of the building,
  17. The section of any solar water heater not exceeding six square metres in area on any roof; or 12 square metres if the water heater is erected elsewhere,