Buildings, structures and safety - Print version

Building over sewers

Getting permission to build over a public sewer

Severn Trent Water say that anyone wanting to build over or within three metres of a public sewer must have their written permission before works begin.

To get permission, you will have to carry out a CCTV survey of the sewer (this must be paid for by the applicant and carried out by a company nominated by Severn Trent Water). Once the CCTV survey has been carried out it must be sent to Severn Trent Water [http://www.stwater.co.uk/] along with the correct payment and a completed application form. A decision will then be given on your application within 14 days.

Note: In cases of added complexity:

• The sewer has a formal easement preventing over building - this is shown in the deeds of a modern property
• The sewer depth is greater than 3 metres
• The sewer is a pressurised pumping main
• Strategic sewers, or those which require future upgrading, are affected
• Piling or ground stabilisation works are required

These sites will also be deemed as Class 3 applications. You must contact Severn Trent Water for technical advice before submitting Class 3 applications.

The above changes mean that Severn Trent Water Ltd will not permit the submission of a Building Notice and a Full Plans application will be needed for the work.

It also means that no completion certificate can be issued until the Severn Trent Water Authority agreement has been given.

This is a policy of Severn Trent Water and any questions should be referred to them.

See more on the Severn Trent Water website. [http://www.stwater.co.uk/]

If you are unsure of the proximity or presence of a public sewer in relation to your property/project please contact Seven Trent Water Ltd direct on 0845 034 0864 or alternatively make an appointment with our Building Control Team to view the public access version of STW Ltd’s maps. Please note that 24 hours' notice is required if you wish to view records at The Council’s office rather than STW Ltd’s.

Electrical safety in dwellings

Each year on average 10 people die and about 750 are seriously injured in accidents involving unsafe electrical installations in the home. All electrical work in homes has to be carried out by people trained to do the work.

All electrical work in dwellings has to comply with part P requirements and be carried out by persons who are competent to do the work [http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partp/].

Small jobs such as replacing a socket outlet or a light switch on an existing circuit will not need to be notified to a building control body, but there are some exceptions for high risk areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

All work that involves adding a new circuit to a dwelling will need to be either notified to building control, which will then inspect the work, or carried out by a competent person who is registered with a part P self certification scheme. Persons registered with part P self certification schemes will be fully qualified electrical contractors with the ability to thoroughly check a circuit for safety. They will be able to issue building regulations certificates of compliance.

Many jobs carried out on a DIY basis will be small jobs that do not need to be notified to building control. However, householders are recommended to have the works checked by a competent electrician to make sure they are safe. Most unsatisfactory electrical work is carried out by over-ambitious amateurs.

It is believed that risks from unsafe electrical installations have increased over recent years due to:

• Rising numbers and variety of electrical systems and appliances in buildings, plus increased demands being made on them.
• Privatisation of the supply industry in 1988
• Voluntary self-regulation schemes provide excellent support for existing subscribers but do not always reach the independents or small businesses that have grown rapidly in number since the recession of the early 1990s.

Electrical accident rates in houses have risen and continue to rise when compared with those for carbon monoxide poising, gas explosions and collisions with glass - all of which are covered by the building regulations.

Risks in future could increase as people have more and more electrical appliances in their homes that need more extensions and sockets. The risks posed by unsafe electrical installations and portable appliances are electric shock and burns, as well as injuries caused by fires in buildings started by electrical faults. Installations that are properly designed, fitted, and tested in accordance with BS7671 will help to minimise these risks.

For the purposes of building regulations, a fixed electrical system means those parts of the wiring and appliances that are fixed to the building fabric e.g. cables, sockets, switches, fuse-boxes, immersion heaters and ceiling fittings.

Re roofing and renovation of thermal elements

A thermal element is a roof, wall or floor which separates a thermally conditioned (heated or cooled) space from any of the following:

• the outside (including the ground)
• an unheated part of the same building
• a structure exempt from the building regulations, such as porch or conservatory
• part of the same building heated or cooled to a different temperature

Renovation means adding a new layer or replacing an existing layer. When the renovation takes up more than 25% of the surface, Building Regulations approval is needed and you may also need to provide more insulation.

Because of this, some work that used to be free from Building Regulations as it was considered a repair now needs approval.

For example:

• replacement of a slate or tiled roof covering even if like for like
• re-plastering of a wall
• replacement of felt on a flat roof
• renewal of a ceiling below a cold loft space
• external rendering or re-rendering of a wall
• renewal of cladding to a dormer
• renovation of a ground floor involving replacement of screed or timber decking

If you do not send in an application for work you could be prosecuted and fined and it may cause problems if the property is sold.

Safety of sports grounds

Building Control are responsible for carrying out the recommendations contained in the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds [https://sgsa.org.uk/greenguide/]. It has detailed advice on matters including structure, provisions of gangways, fire escapes, crash barrier design and engineering services. When all matters related to safety are in place a Safety Certificate can be issued.

The Building Control section is responsible for providing advice and guidance on Safety at Sports Grounds, in relation to:

• Crowd control
• Means of escape
• Structural stability
• Access for disabled

Apply for a safety of sports ground certificate

• Apply for a special safety certificate for a sports ground. [https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/safety-certificates-for-sports-grounds/coventry/apply-1]
• Apply for a special safety certificate for a regulated stand [https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/safety-certificates-for-regulated-stands-at-sports-grounds/coventry/apply-1].

Items reviewed during inspection

The Building Control Team can review the following items during an inspection and comment on: 

• Safety Management
• Stewarding
• Structures and Components
• Circulation General
• Exit routes unobstructed
• Controlled Ingress
• Stairs / Ramps
• Concourses and Vomitories
• Emergency Procedures
• Barriers
• Seating Accommodation
• Standing Accommodation
• Disabled Facilities / Areas
• Fire Safety
• Communications
• Electrical / Mechanical
• Medical Provision, First Aid
• Media Provision
• Tidiness

The Sports Ground Management Team must ensure public safety is maintained and that defective infrastructure does not put crowd safety at risk.

Categories of sports grounds

Sports grounds can be divided into three categories which can be outlined as:

• Designated sports stadia with a capacity for 10,000 spectators.
• Sports grounds with one or more regulated stands, with a capacity of 500 spectators.
• Sports grounds which do not have regulated stands.

Stadia in Coventry

• Coventry Building Society Arena [https://www.coventrybuildingsocietyarena.co.uk/]
• Butts Park Arena (Coventry Rugby Club [http://www.coventryrfc.co.uk/])

To ensure compliance with any conditions of the certificate, regular inspections are carried out on match days.

The Safety Advisory Group

Building Control works to protect public safety and co-ordinates the Safety Advisory Group [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/safety-advisory-group-sag] which includes other agencies:

• The Police Service
• The Fire Service
• The Ambulance Service
• St John Ambulance Association