Some cookies are essential to make our website work. To help us improve, we'd like to set other cookies to show us how our website is being used.

View cookies.

Building control applications: Allerdale

For most building work, you will need to complete a building control application.

Building control approval

Depending on the work you're doing you might need to get planning permission or building regulation approval, or both.

Building Regulation approvals are required for most internal and external work to a property. The regulations ensure the work being carried out meets the current safety and efficiency standards.

Some examples of when you will need to submit an application are:

  • a new dwelling house
  • an extension to an existing property
  • a loft conversion
  • alterations to the main structure of a building
  • some home improvement works such as re-roofing an creation of new openings

These are just some examples of when development would require you to submit an application under Building Regulations. 

Check if you need building control approval

The LABC website also provides more information on when you need to get building control approval.

There are certain exemptions  when you don't need building control approval. However, it is complicated. If you are not sure,  contact our building control team before carrying out any work.

Apply for building control approval

If you're building something new, or making changes to an existing building, you may need building regulation approval.

This makes sure the work meets health and safety, energy and accessibility standards, and gives you the certificates of compliance you need when you want to sell your home or building.

Unlike our colleagues in planning, we do cover the Lake District National Park.

Apply direct to us for building control approval. More details on the types of application for different projects, and the fees involved are below.

Contacting the building control team:

Phone: 01900 702 520
Email: building.control1@cumberland.gov.uk

We can beat any quotation. We provide a service that is 'by your side and on your side'. We protect you by carrying out sufficient site inspections to ensure the work is up to the required standard to help make sure that no problems or issues arise in the future.

Applying before you have started work

There are two ways to submit an building control application to us. The first is a Full Plans submission and the second is a Building Notice Submission.

Full Plans Submission

If you wish to have your plans checked and approved before the work starts, to avoid any costly errors and unnecessary work on site by not being fully up to speed with the ever changing regulations, we recommend you apply using Full Plans form.

An application sent this way needs to contain plans and other information showing all construction details. Please send these to us well in advance of when work is to start on site.

Find out more about making an application from the LABC.

Please use the application form below and submit it to us by email at building.control@allerdale.gov.uk

Building Notice

If the work is uncomplicated and you are happy that you or your builder has a reasonably good understanding of the regulations, then you can submit a Building Notice application.

The advantage of the building notice procedure is that detailed drawings are not formally required for approval, although some details such as structural calculations may be required. You may start work 48 hours after your notice has been received by the local authority.

Please use the application form below and submit it to us by email at building.control@allerdale.gov.uk.

Applying for building control approval after works have started or have completed

If the work has already recently started or completed without proper consent, then you will need to make what is known as a Regularisation Application.

The purpose of the process is to regularise the unauthorised works and obtain a certificate of regularisation which shows the work complies with the regulations.

Depending on the circumstances you may need to expose work which has been carried out, remove some parts or rectify some of it, so that we can establish that you have complied with the building regulations.

You can even use this if the work was carried out by a former owner. Any work can potentially be regularised as long as it was carried out after the 11 November 1985. Ideally you should apply to us for building regulation approval before you start work.

If you have started work without applying for building control approval, we may still be able to give you approval but you need to tell us as soon as possible.

How to apply

Please use the application form below and submit it to us using the email building.control1@cumberland.gov.uk.

Please note that both Parts 1 and Part 2 are required to be completed and submitted to ensure your application is registered.

Watch a video for more information on a Regularisation Application.

Applying to demolish a property

You can apply for Notice of Intended Demolition by completing the application form below.

This would allow us to provide a Section 81 notice before you carry out any demolition work.

Once completed, send your application to our building control team in Workington.

Find out more about demolitions from the LABC

How much it costs to get building control approval

We are always happy to provide you with an individual quotation.

If your work involves different aspects to the work described or is work that falls within more than one table contact us, we will get back to you with a personalised quotation.