A person who is required by Regulation 12 give a building notice or an application for building control approval with full plans for carrying out building work shall, not more than five days after the day on which work is to be regarded as commenced, give the local authority a notice to that effect as set out below. Requirements of dutyholders and their competence can be found in Part 2A of the Building Regulations 2010 (as amended).

Notification of commencement of works form

A ‘commencement of works notice’ is not the same as a ‘notice of intention to start work’. The Local Authority will need to understand when the work has reached a stage at which all (or part) of the work can be protected from the application being considered to have lapsed. More details about the lapse of building control approval can be found Regulation 46A.

Below are examples that highlight the difference between the ‘start of work’ and the ‘commencement of work’ (not exhaustive - the applicant, their designer and/or builder should make reference to all the meanings given in Regulation 46A).

Example of 'commenced work'

For a large building that shares its foundation with other buildings, when the foundations supporting the building and the structure of the lowest floor level of that building (but not any other buildings or structures to be supported by those foundations) are completed; or

For a small house or an extension to the side(s) of a house when the sub-surface structure of the building or the extension, including all foundations, any basement level (if any) and the structure of the ground floor level is completed.

Not exhaustive – the applicant, their designer and/or builder should make reference to all the meanings given in Regulation 46A.