http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/55/section/8Building Act 1984
An Act to consolidate certain enactments concerning building and buildings and related matters.1984-10-31texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-03-06Expert Participation2026-01-27
Building Act 1984s. 131ABuilding Safety Act 2022s. 59s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 95(5)Building Safety Act 2022s. 60(2)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 131BBuilding Safety Act 2022s. 60(3)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7A(4)Building Safety Act 2022Sch. 5 para. 83(5)s. 170(4)(b)(c)reg. 2(n)(xxxiii)reg. 2(d)(xi)Sch.reg. 348- 12Building Act 1984s. 44(11)Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004s. 3(8)s. 11(3)Building Act 1984ActThe Building etc. (Amendment) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2025Rheoliadau Adeiladu etc. (Diwygio) (Rhif 2) (Cymru) 2025reg. 21reg. 1(2)Building Act 1984s. 1(1A)(d)Infrastructure Act 2015s. 37(2)s. 57(5)(a)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7AInfrastructure Act 2015s. 37(4)s. 57(5)(a)
Part I Building Regulations Relaxation of building regulations Relaxation of building regulations.81Subject to this section, the appropriate national authority, if on an application for a direction under this section it 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.2If 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 appropriate national authority after consultation with the local authority).3Building regulations made by virtue of subsection (2) above may except applications of any description.3AIf, in a case where the regulator is the building control authority—aan application for a direction under this section is made to the regulator, andbthe regulator considers that the operation of a requirement in building regulations would be unreasonable in relation to the particular case,it may give a direction dispensing with or relaxing the requirement.3BNo application under subsection (1) or (2) may be made in a case where the regulator is the building control authority.4If—abuilding regulations so provide as regards any requirement contained in the regulations, andba 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.5In subsection (4) above, “public body” means—aa local authority.ba county council, orcany other body that is prescribed for the purposes of section 5 above.6Building regulations may provide as regards a requirement contained in the regulations that subsections (1) to (5) above do not apply.Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) restricted by Channel Tunnel Act 1987 (c. 53, SIF 102), ss. 31(1), 45, Sch. 7 Pt. VI para. 2Pt. 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. 8(1) modified (1.6.1992) by S.I. 1991/2768, reg. 10(1)S. 8(1) modified (1.1.2001) by S.I. 2000/2531, reg. 11(1)S. 8(1)-(5) excluded by S.I. 2000/2531, reg. 11(3) (as added (6.4.2006) by Building and Approved Inspectors (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/652), regs. 1(2), 9(2))S. 8(3A)(3B) inserted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 11(4); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(iv) (with reg. 4); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(xi), Sch. (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (22.7.2008) by Crossrail Act 2008 (c. 18), Sch. 14 para. 8S. 8(1)-(5) excluded (1.10.2010) by S.I. 2010/2214, regs. 1, 11(3) (with reg. 9) (as substituted (19.4.2013) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/747), regs. 1(4), 4 (with reg. 1(2)(3))) (as amended (3.6.2013) by The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1105), regs. 1(2), 3(2) (with reg. 1(4)))Word in s. 8(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. 11(3); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 12; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 8Pt. 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. 1Pt. 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. 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. 11(2); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 3(f), Sch. para. 12; S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 8Pt. 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. 3Pt. 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)