Building Act 1984

8 Relaxation of building regulations

(1) Subject to this section, the Secretary of State, if on an application for a direction under this section he considers that the operation of a requirement in building regulations would be unreasonable in relation to the particular case to which the application relates, may, after consultation with the local authority, give a direction dispensing with or relaxing that requirement

(2) If building regulations so provide as regards a requirement contained in the regulations, the power to dispense with or relax that requirement under subsection (1) above is exercisable by the local authority (instead of by the Secretary of State after consultation with the local authority).

(3) Building regulations made by virtue of subsection (2) above may except applications of any description.

(4) If—

(a) building regulations so provide as regards any requirement contained in the regulations, and

(b) a public body considers that the operation of any such requirement would be unreasonable in relation to any particular work carried out or proposed to be carried out by or on behalf of the public body,

the public body may give a direction dispensing with or relaxing that requirement.

(5) In subsection (4) above, “public body ” means—

(a) a local authority,

(b) a county council, or

(c) any other body that is prescribed for the purposes of section 5 above.

(6) Building regulations may provide as regards a requirement contained in the regulations that subsections (1) to (5) above do not apply.