Make a Building Control application

The Building Control Planning Portal allows you to make online building regulations application.

It's free and easy to use
It makes form filling quicker
You can upload supporting documents of up to 5MB each easily. If you have multiple documents or large files, we recommend using Submit-a-Plan instead.

Apply online

Not sure if you need approval? Visit our Do I need building regulations approval? page

For full details of charges, visit our Sussex Building Control fees and charges page

How to use the online service

To apply online using the Building Control Planning Portal, follow these simple steps:

Set up an online Building Control Planning Portal account
Start a new online application
Fill in the nine sections of the form: Your details and the application type; Fire safety and public sewer; Use of building; Electrical safety; Windows and doors; Prescribed period; Trees; Party wall; Declaration. Once these are filled in, you will be able to save the form to come back to at a later date.
Upload supporting documents
You can either enter the agreed fee yourself or confirm you wish for us to contact you with your fee once the application is submitted
Your application will be send to us automatically. Once we have downloaded it, the status of your application in your account will change from Submitted to Transferred.

Apply by email

To apply to us by email, please complete the following steps:

Download the Building Control application form
Read the guidance notes for the application form
Read the building regulation charges for domestic extensions and alterations
Fill in the form electronically (you can type in the text fields once you have downloaded it)
Email the form to us at building.control@horsham.gov.uk

We recommend you select:

Full Plans for major work such as new-builds, extensions, conversions
Building Notice for minor works such as knocking down a wall
Regularisation Certificate if you didn’t get building regulations approval for your building work. This option allows you to make a retrospective application

Application form and notes

Apply for a fee waiver due to Disability Declaration

You do not need to pay our fees if you are carrying out appropriate work for the benefit of a disabled person.

To request a Disability Declaration for your work, please download the application form and post it to us with your application form.

Eligibility Criteria

We are able to offer fee remission through grounds of disability where the whole of the building work in question is solely:

1) for the purpose of providing means of access for the disabled person by way of entrance or exit to or from the dwelling or any part of it, or

2) for the purpose of providing accommodation or facilities (either new or adapted) within the building which are incapable of being used (or used without assistance) by the disabled person.

Examples of work which may be exempt can include the provision of a room extension which is or will be used solely:

for the carrying out for the benefit of the disabled person of medical treatment which cannot reasonably be carried out in any other room in the dwelling, or
for the storage of medical equipment for the use of the disabled person, or
to provide necessary accommodation (bedroom) or facility (bathroom) that could not be used by the disabled person.
persons by way of entrance or exit to or from the building or any part of it; or for the provision of facilities designed to secure the greater health, safety and welfare of disabled persons
This also includes work to provide or extend a room which will be used for sleeping accommodation for a full time (i.e. 24 hours) carer.

Note: ‘disabled person’ means a person who is within any of the descriptions of persons to whom Section 29(1) of the National Assistance Act 1948, as extended by virtue of Section 8(2) of the Mental Health Act 1959, applied but disregarding the amendments made by paragraph 11 of Schedule 13 to the Children Act 1989. The words in section 8(2) of the Mental Health Act 1959 which extend the meaning of disabled person in section 29(1) of the National Assistance Act 1948, are prospectively repealed by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, section 66(2), Schedule 10, as from a day to be appointed

The fact that the work is “building work solely required for disabled persons” needs to be demonstrated. It must be clear that the work is being carried out for the purpose of facilitating a person’s disability, regardless of whether others may also benefit from the work.

In order to be reasonably satisfied Building Control will seek to be provided with one of the following proofs of disability:

a) a copy of a Disability Facilities Grant (DFG) form from the Local Authority

b) a copy of an Occupational Therapists (OT) report stating that the works proposed are required in order for the disabled person(s) to continue living within their existing dwelling.

c) that the works are solely for the use of the disabled person(s). In some circumstances partial fee remission may be given in the event that part of a project relates solely but another part does not.