Building Control and Planning Permission are often confused Is Building Regulations approval the same as Planning Permission? Building Regulations approval is a separate matter from obtaining planning permission for your work. Similarly, receiving any planning permission which your work may require is not the same as taking action to ensure that it complies with the Building Regulations. What is Planning? Planning is about how we plan for, and make decisions about, the future of our cities, towns and countryside. Over the centuries, a formal way of making these decisions was set up. Your local planning authority is responsible for deciding whether a development - anything from an conversion within a house to a new shopping centre - should go ahead. Local planning authority usually means the district or borough council - not the parish or town council. The planning system is needed to control development in your area. What is Building Control? Building Control is the process to ensure the construction of certain buildings or works meets the minimum standards for health, safety, welfare and convenience. This involves issues on the structural aspect, fire and means of escape, damp prevention, sound insulation, ventilation, drainage, thermal insulation, stairs, and disabled issues. On many developments Building Control Officers and Planning Officers co-operate closely by employing the principles of a Development Team Approach (DTA). This brings together all local authority regulatory agencies, which affect the development process in order to provide a co-ordinated approach from conception to completion.