The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2003

Amendment of the Building Regulations 2000

2.—(1) The Building Regulations 2000(1) (“the principal Regulations”) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2 (interpretation) in paragraph (1), insert at the appropriate place—

““independent access” means, in relation to a part of a building (including any extension to that building), a route of access to that part which does not require the user to pass through any other part of the building;”.

(3) In regulation 3 (meaning of building work), in paragraph (3) for the words “Part M (access and facilities for disabled people)” substitute “Part M (access to and use of buildings)”.

(4) In regulation 5 (meaning of material change of use)—

(a) in paragraph (h) omit “or”;

(b) after paragraph (i) add—

“or

(j) the building is used as a shop, where previously it was not.”.

(5) In regulation 6 (requirements relating to material change of use)—

(a) after paragraph (1)(f) add—

“(g) in the case of a material change of use described in regulation 5(c), (d), (e) or (j), M1 (access and use).”;

(b) in paragraph (2)(b) omit “and”;

(c) after paragraph (c) add—

“and

(d) in a case to which sub-paragraph (g) of paragraph (1) applies—

(i) that part and any sanitary conveniences provided in or in connection with that part comply with the requirements referred to in that sub-paragraph; and

(ii) the building complies with requirement M1(a) of Schedule 1 to the extent that reasonable provision is made to provide either suitable independent access to that part or suitable access through the building to that part.”.

(6) In Schedule 1, in the entry for requirement H3 (rainwater drainage) in the second column (limits on application), for paragraphs (a) and (b) substitute—

“(a) which provide access to the building pursuant to requirement M1 (access and use), or requirement M2 (access to extensions to buildings other than dwellings);

(b) which provide access to or from a place of storage pursuant to requirement H6(2) (solid waste storage); or”.

(7) For Part M of Schedule 1 (access and facilities for disabled people) substitute the Part set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

(8) In Schedule 2A—

(a) in column 1, omit the words from

• “Installation of—

  (a)

  a service or fitting in relation to which Part G”,

• to “at a depth greater than 750mm from the surface”; and

(b) in column 2, omit the words “An individual registered under the Approved Contractor Person Scheme (Building Regulations) by the Institute of Plumbing in respect of that type of work”.

(1)

S.I. 2000/2531 relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2001/3335, 2002/440 and 2002/2871.