Get approval for demolition

Although demolition is not generally considered ‘development’, planning permission may be required. You should confirm with the council this is in place before starting any work. 

There are two types of demolition: partial or complete removal. 

Partial demolition is trickier as you have to provide support to the remaining structure, which may include window strutting, floor props and shoring. It may also involve a lot of resources as powered equipment may be unsuitable. 

You can only submit a Demolition Notice online. You will need to provide a plan to a scale of not less than 1:1250 showing the size and position of the building to be demolished and its relationship to adjoining properties so make sure to have this ready before filling in the form. 

You should also check whether any trees on the site are protected by a Tree Preservation Order. 

Application fee

As part of the application process, you also need to pay an application fee of £500.00 (VAT exempt).

We are entitled to charge for the reasonable expenses of reviewing a Section 80 notice and preparing a notice under Section 81 of the Building Act 1984 and any necessary inspection of work on any site. 

Your responsibilities and the law

It is your duty to send or give a copy of the notice to the occupier of any building adjacent to the building, to the gas supplier and to the electricity supplier. 

If you contravene Section 80, you will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. 

These notes are for general guidance only. Particulars regarding the demolition of buildings are contained in Section 80, 81 and 82 of the Building Act 1984. 

All applicants should also be aware of the Party Wall Act 1996. 

When you don't need permission

Some buildings don’t require notification such as: 

• you demolish an internal part of a building, where the building is occupied and will continue to be 
• the outside of the building measures less than 50m³
• attached greenhouses, prefabricated garages, conservatories or sheds
• detached agricultural buildings 

Responding to your demolition notice

We will issue you with a counter notice under Section 81 of the Building Act, within 6 weeks of receiving a valid application. This sets out the conditions that you must comply with during the demolition process. 

The notice will usually specify pre-demolition requirements, which may include:

• shoring
• protection of adjacent buildings against damage
• collapse or water damage
• debris-disposal
• safety measures.

Things you should consider when carrying out demolition work

• Carry out a detailed survey that should include the impact of removing parts of the structure and the effect of demolition on neighbouring properties. If in doubt, employ a structural engineer to assess the method of demolition.
• The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) apply. This results in Health and Safety duties being transferred to the designer, contractor, and site workers. More information is available on the HSE website.
• You’ll need local authority approval for any alterations to listed buildings and those in conservation areas - and this may be limited to just partial demolition.
• Use an experienced contractor as demolition is skilled and potentially dangerous work.
• You may encounter asbestos so use a specialist contractor to remove it from site before demolition starts.
• Think about salvaging materials and components such as bricks, tiles, slates and timber to minimise the environmental impact of the redevelopment of the site.

For more information, take a look at BS 6187:2011 - Code of practice for full and partial demolition.