Retrofitting Is Expensive – Demolition Is Cheaper And Easier

Not all demolition work requires a demolition notice to be submitted to local authority building control.  A demolition notice does not need to be served for the following:

1. Demolition of the internal part of a building, where the building is occupied and it is intended that it should continue to be occupied.

2. The external volume of the building to be demolished is less than 50 cubic metres.

3. The building is a greenhouse, shed, conservatory or prefabricated garage.

4. The building is an agricultural building, as defined in section 26 of the General Rate Act 1967, unless it is attached to a building that is itself not an agricultural building.

You will not normally need to apply for planning permission to knock down your house, a part of it (e.g. a chimney) or any of its outbuildings.

However, where demolition of any kind of residential property is proposed, the Council may wish to agree the details of how you intend to carry out the demolition and how you propose to restore the site afterwards. Most demolition is carried out using either crawler excavators or high reach excavators depending on the size of the structure to be demolished.

You will need to apply for a formal decision on whether the council wishes to approve these details before you start clearance. This is what is called a “prior approval application”

If you want to demolish a building, or part of it, in a conservation area and the volume to be demolished is 115 m³ or greater you will need conservation area consent.