General notes

1.1 Before you undertake any work, you, or your agent i.e. builder, architect, must advise us (the local authority) either by submitting full plans for approval or through a building notice. A person must submit full plans and may not use the building notice option where the work relates to a building put to or intended to be put to a designated use under the Fire Precautions Act 1971. 

Premises currently designated are:

  • premises within the Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) Order 1972
  • premises within the Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and Railway Premises) Order 1989
  • non-domestic premises defined as a ‘workplace’ within the Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1997

1.2 The applicant is the person on whose behalf the work is being carried out, for example the building’s owner.

1.3 One copy only of this notice should be completed and submitted.

1.4 Persons carrying out building work must give written notice of commencement of the work at least 48 hours beforehand.

1.5 Where it is proposed to erect the building or extension over a sewer or drain shown on the relative map of public sewers, Welsh Water will be consulted and they may contact you for further information.

1.6 Persons proposing to carry out building work or make a material change or use of a building are reminded that permission may also be required under the Town and Country Planning Acts.

1.7 You can request further information and advice about building regulations and planning matters from our planning department by emailing bc_admin@wrexham.gov.uk, by calling 01978 298870, or in person at Lambpit Street, Wrexham, LL11 1AR.

1.8 These notes are for general guidance only. Particulars regarding the submission of a building notice or a full plans application are contained in Regulations 12 and 13 respectively of the Building Regulations 2000 (as amended) and, in respect of charges, The Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 1998, and within our scheme of Building Regulation charges available for inspection at our planning reception at Lambpit Street, Wrexham, LL11 1AR.

1.9 Electrical safety: A competent person is a person registered with an approved body for the purposes of carrying out electrical works within dwellings. The competent person can only certify that their own work has been carried out in accordance with Building Regulations and not that of other persons registered or not. We (as the local authority) will have to check and test any systems not installed by competent persons, as defined, for which a further application and charge will be payable.

Full plans

2.1 This notice when submitted by post or in person it must be accompanied with plans and particulars in duplicate. Subject to certain exceptions where Part B (Fire Safety) imposes a requirement in relation to proposed building work, two further copies of plans which demonstrate compliance with those requirements should be deposited. See Note 4 below (submission and payment) for electronic submission requirements.

2.2 The signing of this form will deemed to be your written agreement as required by Section 16 of the Building Act 1984 which provides for the passing of plans subject to conditions. The conditions may specify modifications to the deposited plans or that further plans, details or calculations shall be deposited.

2.3 A completion certificate will automatically be sent to you free of charge following a satisfactory completion inspection by our surveyor of the building work.

Building notice

3.1 Where the proposed work includes the erection of a new building or extension this notice shall be accompanied by a block plan to a scale of not less than 1:1250, showing the following: 

  •  the size and the position of the building, or the building as extended, and its relationship to adjoining boundaries
  •  the boundaries of the curtilage of the building, or the building as extended, and size, position and use of every other building or proposed building within that curtilage 
  •  the width and position of any street on or within the boundaries of the curtilage of the building or the building as extended 
  •  the provision to be made for the drainage of the building or extension

3.2 Where it is proposed to erect the building or extension over a sewer or drain shown on the relative map of public sewers, Welsh Water will be consulted and they may contact you for further information.

3.3 Under the building notice procedure, a completion certificate may only be issued, after all notices of the relevant stages of the work have been given. The relevant stages of work include: 

  • Commencement of work
  • Drains before covering up
  • Excavations for foundations
  • Drains after covering up
  • Foundations
  • Construction before plastering or fixing of boards
  • Damp proof course
  • Occupation of building
  • Materials laid oversite
  • Completion of works

3.4 This building notice shall cease to have effect from three years after it is given to us (the local authority) unless the work has started before the expiry of that period.

Submission and payment

4.1 This notice may be submitted electronically as an attachment to an email, together with any relevant plans. Payment must be made the same or following working day to validate the application. You can pay online through our civica e-store.

4.2 Alternatively you may pay over the telephone with debit card by calling 01978 298870.

4.3 If you are submitting the form in person at our office or posting to our address, only one copy of plans/drawings are required and correct payment must be provided.