Changes to Planning Control - Demolition of Buildings – April
2011
If you intend to demolish a building falling within one of the
following categories as a separate project, you must apply to the
local planning authority for a determination as to whether you will
require prior approval for the method of demolition. This will be
in addition to any other consent required for demolition (e.g. for
heritage properties).
The changes mean that the demolition of a listed building, a
building in a conservation area, a building which is a scheduled
monument, or a building that is not a dwelling house or adjoining a
dwelling house is now ‘development’. This brings the demolition of
such structures into line with the treatment of residential
buildings generally.
Permitted development rights for such development apply, under
part 31 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General
Permitted Development) Order 1995, but an application to the local
planning authority is needed to check whether the authority
requires prior approval of the method of demolition (in line with
the conditions to part 31 of the GPDO).
Demolition works come within the scope of the EIA Directive. The
effect is that where demolition works are likely to have
significant effects on the environment the local planning authority
must issue a screening opinion on whether environmental impact
assessment is required.
The Local Planning Authority will have to consider applications
for determination for prior approval for this expanded range of
demolition projects, in the same way as they do for the demolition
of dwelling houses. They will also consider whether the demolition
project is likely to have significant environmental effects and
requires a screening opinion to be issued; as such projects can
come under Schedule 2.10(b) (urban development projects) to the
Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations 1999.