Some of you might be interested in a reply I got from local building control (in Southampton) regarding an enquiry I made recently about a fair sized electrical installation in my Garden. I post this only as there seems to be a mystique being built up about part P for the serious DIYers:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Stallard
As your two proposed installations full under the “special locations and installation” category, which can be found in table 2 of Part P of the Building Regulations and is therefore it is notifiable you will indeed need to make a Building Regulations application. A Planning Application is not required for this work.
This application can be made in one of two ways. Either a “full plans application” which will require full drawings and specification of the proposed works. This method will generally take five week to obtain permission. or if you go along the “building notice” route you will be charged the same amount of money and the “full plans” route but once you have paid the fee you can start the work on site with 48 hours.
Within the guidelines of Part P “the proposed installation work is to be undertaken by a person who is a competent person registered with an electrical self-certification scheme authorised by the secretary of state. In these cases the person is responsible for ensuring compliance with BS 7671:2001 and all relevant building regs……………………….the cert must be made out and signed by the competent person or persons who carried out the design, construction, inspection and testing works”.
Therefore if you where going to undertake the above work yourself, we would request an electrical test cert from a registered competent person. Downloadable copies of building notices or full plans forms are available on the councils building Regulations internet site. Or if you wish we can send you a hard copy in the post. Please do not hesitate to contact me
Regards......"
"Good afternoon, Mr. Stallard
As your two proposed installations full under the “special locations and installation” category, which can be found in table 2 of Part P of the Building Regulations and is therefore it is notifiable you will indeed need to make a Building Regulations application. A Planning Application is not required for this work.
This application can be made in one of two ways. Either a “full plans application” which will require full drawings and specification of the proposed works. This method will generally take five week to obtain permission. or if you go along the “building notice” route you will be charged the same amount of money and the “full plans” route but once you have paid the fee you can start the work on site with 48 hours.
Within the guidelines of Part P “the proposed installation work is to be undertaken by a person who is a competent person registered with an electrical self-certification scheme authorised by the secretary of state. In these cases the person is responsible for ensuring compliance with BS 7671:2001 and all relevant building regs……………………….the cert must be made out and signed by the competent person or persons who carried out the design, construction, inspection and testing works”.
Therefore if you where going to undertake the above work yourself, we would request an electrical test cert from a registered competent person. Downloadable copies of building notices or full plans forms are available on the councils building Regulations internet site. Or if you wish we can send you a hard copy in the post. Please do not hesitate to contact me
Regards......"