Part I

Building Regulations

Approved documents

Approval of documents for purposes of building regulations.
6
1
For the purpose of providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of any provision of building regulations, the appropriate national authority or a body designated by the appropriate national authority for the purposes of this section may—
a
approve and issue any document (whether or not prepared by the appropriate national authority or by the body concerned), or
b
approve any document issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by the appropriate national authority or by the body concerned,
if in the opinion of the appropriate national authority or, as the case may be, the body concerned the document is suitable for that purpose.
2
References in this section and section 7 below to a document include references to a part of a document; and accordingly, in relation to a document of which part only is approved, a reference in the following provisions of this section or in section 7 below to the approved document is a reference only to the part of it that is approved.
3
An approval given under subsection (1) above takes effect in accordance with a notice that is issued by the appropriate national authority or, as the case may be, the body giving the approval and that—
a
identifies the approved document in question,
b
states the date on which the approval of it is to take effect, and
c
specifies the provisions of building regulations for the purposes of which the document is approved.
4
The appropriate national authority or, as the case may be, the body that gave the approval may—
a
from time to time approve and issue a revision of the whole or any part of an approved document issued by ... it for the purposes of this section, and
b
approve any revision or proposed revision of the whole or any part of an approved document,
and subsection (3) above, with the necessary modifications, applies in relation to an approval that is given under this subsection to a revision as it applies in relation to an approval that is given under subsection (1) above to a document.
5
The appropriate national authority or, as the case may be, the body that gave the approval may withdraw ... its approval of a document under this section; and such a withdrawal of approval takes effect in accordance with a notice that is issued by the appropriate national authority or body concerned and that—
a
identifies the approved document in question, and
b
states the date on which the approval of it is to cease to have effect.
5A
A notice under subsection (3) or (5) may contain transitional or saving provision (and different provision may be made for different purposes or for different areas).
5B
A body may give an approval under subsection (1) or (4), or withdraw an approval under subsection (5), only with the consent of the appropriate national authority.
6
References in subsections (4) and (5) above and in section 7 below to an approved document are references to that document as it has effect for the time being, regard being had to any revision of the whole or any part of it that has been approved under subsection (4) above.
7
Where a body ceases to be a body designated by the appropriate national authority for the purposes of this section, subsections (4) and (5) above have effect as if any approval given by that body had been given by the Secretary of State.
8
The power to designate a body for the purposes of this section is exercisable by order made by statutory instrument, which is —
a
in the case of a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State, subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament;
b
in the case of a statutory instrument made by the Welsh Ministers, subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of Senedd Cymru.
9
An order under subsection (8) may provide that a body is designated only in relation to—
a
buildings of a specified description;
b
work of a specified description;
c
specified provisions of building regulations.
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) restricted by Channel Tunnel Act 1987 (c. 53, SIF 102), ss. 31(1), 45, Sch. 7 Pt. VI para. 2
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) modified (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 60(2), Sch. 8 para. 18(1)
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) modified (17.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1732, art. 4(1)
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (18. 12. 1996) by 1996 c. 61, s. 38, Sch. 10 para.7PPt. I (ss. 1-46) excluded (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 4(5) (subject to art. 1(3))
S. 6(5A)(5B) inserted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(6); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Words in s. 6(8) substituted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(7); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Words in s. 6(1) substituted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(3); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (22.7.2008) by Crossrail Act 2008 (c. 18), Sch. 14 para. 8
Words in s. 6(5) omitted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(5); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
S. 6(9) inserted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(8); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Words in s. 6 substituted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(2); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (23.2.2017) by High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017 (c. 7), s. 70(1), Sch. 22 para. 1
Pt. 1 excluded (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 22 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 22 para. 1(2)(3))
Words in s. 6(4)(a) omitted (28.6.2022 for E., 5.9.2023 for W.) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 9(4); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 9; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 6
Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (24.9.2014) by The Thames Water Utilities Limited (Thames Tideway Tunnel) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/2384), art. 1, Sch. 19 Pt. 1 para. 3
Pt. 1 excluded (4.10.2024) by The National Grid (Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/958), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 4 (with art. 40, Sch. 14)