Building Act 1984

8(1)Building regulations may be made with respect to—E+W

(a)alterations and extensions of buildings and of services, fittings and equipment in or in connection with buildings,

(b)new services, fittings or equipment provided in or in connection with buildings,

(c)buildings and services, fittings and equipment in or in connection with buildings, so far as affected by—

(i)alterations or extensions of buildings, or

(ii)new, altered or extended services, fittings or equipment in or in connection with buildings,

(d)the whole of a building, together with any services, fittings or equipment provided in or in connection with it, in respect of which there are or are proposed to be carried out any operations that by virtue of section 123(1) of this Act constitute the construction of a building for the purposes of this paragraph,

(e)buildings or parts of buildings, together with any services, fittings or equipment provided in or in connection with them, in cases where the purposes for which or the manner or circumstances in which a building or part of a building is used change or changes in a way that constitutes a material change of use of the building or part within the meaning of the expression “material change of use” as defined F1... by building regulations.

[F2(f)buildings or parts of buildings, together with any services, fittings or equipment provided in or in connection with them, in cases where the persons in occupation of a building or part of a building change in prescribed circumstances.]

[F3(2)Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) to [F4(7)] below and to sections 2(2) and 2A of this Act, building regulations shall not apply to or in connection with buildings erected before the date on which the regulations come into force.

(3)The following building regulations may be made to apply to or in connection with buildings erected before the date on which the regulations come into force—

(a)regulations falling within sub-paragraph (1)(a) to (e) above;

(b)regulations made with respect to the demolition of buildings;

(c)regulations made with respect to the use of materials or components (including surface finishes) that (in whole or in part) have been produced from, or incorporate, recycled items;

(d)regulations made with respect to the re-use of materials or components (including surface finishes);

(e)regulations falling within sub-paragraph (4) below.

(4)Building regulations fall within this sub-paragraph if—

(a)in accordance with sub-paragraph (1)(f) above, they are framed by reference to a change in the occupants of a building (or part); and

(b)they are—

(i)made for the purpose mentioned in section 1(1)(b) of this Act; or

(ii)made (otherwise than for that purpose) with respect to measures calculated to secure, or to contribute to, the prevention or reduction of emissions (whether or not from the building in question) of smoke, gases, vapours or fumes.

(5)The provision that may be made by building regulations includes provision imposing on a person carrying out work of any type in relation to a building (whenever erected), or in relation to any service, fitting or equipment provided in or in connection with a building (whenever erected)—

(a)a requirement to do things for the purpose mentioned in section 1(1)(b) of this Act; or

(b)a requirement to do things (otherwise than for that purpose) with respect to measures calculated to secure, or to contribute to, the prevention or reduction of emissions (whether or not from the building in question) of smoke, gases, vapours or fumes.

[F5(5A)The provision that may be made by building regulations includes provision imposing on a person carrying out work of any type in relation to a building (whenever erected), or in relation to any service, fitting or equipment provided in or in connection with a building (whenever erected), a requirement to do things for the purpose mentioned in section 1(1)(a) of this Act in so far as it relates to the resistance or resilience of buildings in respect of flooding.]

(6)The things whose doing may be required by virtue of sub-paragraph (5) [F6or (5A)] above are—

(a)things to be done in relation to the work in question;

(b)any other things but only if they are to be done in relation to—

(i)the building in question; or

(ii)any service, fitting or equipment provided in or in connection with that building.]

[F7(7)The provision that may be made by building regulations includes provision imposing a requirement to do things for the purpose mentioned in section 1(1)(b) (conserving fuel and power) in any case where a building becomes a building of a prescribed description.]

Textual Amendments

F1Words in Sch. 1 para. 8(1)(e) omitted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 83(6)(a); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xxxiii); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(xi), Sch. (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)

F2Sch. 1 para. 8(1)(f) inserted (16.11.2004) by Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004 (c. 22), ss. 3(6), 11(4)

F3Sch. 1 para. 8(2)-(6) substituted for Sch. 1 para. 8(2) (16.11.2004) by Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004 (c. 22), ss. 3(7), 11(4)