It has bee announced today, that the new Buildings Regulations transitional period maximum of 3 years has now been shortened to 12 months, in order to comply and maximise new climate change regulations.
This means that the revised Part L 2006 Regulations come into effect from 6 April 2006 in order to comply with Regulations, unless any of the following are applicable:
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Work has started before 6 April 2006 in accordance with a building notice, full plans, initial notice or amendment notice.
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Where full plans are not required to be deposited, a contract is entered into before 6 April 2006, provided that the work is started before 1 October 2006.
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Full plans have been deposited and approved before 6 April 2006, provided that work is started before 1 April 2007.
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A plans certificate or plans certificate combined with an initial notice has been given to a local authority before 6 April 2006, provided that the work is started before 1 April 2007.
Yvette Cooper Housing and Planning Minister said:
"Tackling climate change is one of the biggest long-term challenges we face. That is why on this occasion we need the building industry to comply with the new regulations much more rapidly than normal.
"These new regulations, combined with those in 2002, deliver a 40 per cent increase in energy efficiency standards in just four years, and cut householders' fuel bills too."
The Building Regulations can be accessed from the Office of the Deputy Prime Ministers' Website by clicking the following:
Building Regulations - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
Article by Alexandra Johnston
