Teamwork
The right team and teamwork are fundamental to success. ArchiFACT's international expertise, embracing industrial, commercial, residential and retail development, provides the background knowledge essential to effectively negotiating the legislative framework controlling construction. The practical, pragmatic and visual are translated through cost-controlled design into balanced proposals. Experienced design leadershipand team work are combined with legal and technical expertise as required for complex planning issues and appeals.
Skill & Care
Using skilled design professionals, management and supervision can economically be combined with the roles health and safety coordinator. Competent coordination from the start of the design phase onwards will reduce the risk of accident and prosecution.
Planning permission
Unless a project falls within the scope of Permitted Development, all building projects on UK soil must have planning approval. Planning permission is the responsibility of the local authority planning department which is concerned with the appearance of the proposed work, its height and size and whether it is sympathetic to its location, whether it will overlook neighbouring properties, its distance from the road, and whether it conforms to the local plan.
The local authority will often specify that it requires sections and elevations at a scale of 1:100. At such a scale, the amount of detail possible on a drawing is constrained. Some authorities allow for minor modifications to the design after it has been approved, others require the entire application to be resubmitted. Therefore it is unwise to change the design once planning permission has been granted.
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Building Regulations Approval
This the responsibility of the local authority building control department or the appointed approved inspector. For a full plans submission, detailed drawings including itemised notes and specifications on how the building is to be built are required. These drawings must identify the materials to be used and detail the construction’s compliance with all relevant Building Regulations and any other statutory requirements (health and safety, disabled access etc.). Therefore, Building Regulations drawings are generally far more detailed than the drawings and design information required for planning approval.
Periodic Inspection
The Building Inspector will visit the site at key stages in the construction for inspections to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations. If the Building Control Officer has not been present to witness the constructions of, for instance, the foundations, he or she has the power to order anything constructed over them to be opened up so that the inspection can be carried out.
Permission to Build
Every project for which permission is required will need approvals from both departments, and application fees must be paid to the local authority for both planning and Building Regulations. The client usually pays these directly to the local authority, and not as part of the architect’s expenses.
Health & Safety
Reap the benefits and avoid the bureaucracy of health and safety legislation with ArchiFACT’s effective and active assistance. ArchiFACT’s experience as coordinators, client’s agent and designers under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations is available to all clients who wish to ensure the proper and cost effective use of the regulations. Good planning not only improves health and safety but is also at the heart of good project management.
Using skilled design professionals, management and supervision can economically be combined with the role of coordinator under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations. Competent coordination from the start of the design phase onwards will reduce the risk of accident and prosecution.
ArchiFACT’s experienced design professionals bring a wealth of understanding to coordination. They work with the design team to ensure the risks associated with construction, maintenance and demolition are assessed and information disseminated. Clients can benefit from ArchiFACT’s familiarity with the design process.