Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Application to alterations and extensions

A7—(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (4) and regulation A5, the following provisions, that is to say, Parts A to K, regulations L2(2) and (3) and L5 and Parts R and V shall apply to—

(a)a structural alteration or extension of an existing building; and

(b)the existing building as affected by that alteration or extension to the extent (subject to the provisions of regulation A9) of prohibiting any alteration or extension which would cause a new or greater contravention of any regulation.

(2) In applying the regulations under paragraph (1)(a), the alteration or extension shall be treated as if it were part of a building being newly erected identical to and to be used for the same purposes as the building as altered or extended.

(3) In determining for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) whether the alteration or extension would cause a new or greater contravention of any regulation, the following provisions shall apply—

(a)the regulations shall be applied in each of the following ways—

(i)to the building as altered or extended treated as if it were being newly erected in its proposed form for the purposes for which it will be used when altered or extended; and

(ii)to the existing building treated as if it were being newly erected in its existing form but for the purposes for which it will be used when altered or extended; and

(b)the alteration or extension shall be regarded as being such as would cause a new or greater contravention if (when the regulations are applied as directed in sub-paragraph (a)) the building as altered or extended—

(i)contravenes any regulation which does not apply to the existing building;

(ii)contravenes any regulation which is satisfied by the existing building; or

(iii)contravenes to a greater extent any regulation which is contravened by the existing building.

(4) Part R shall only apply to—

(a)the ground storey of an extension to a building to which Part R did not apply when built if—

(i)the area of the ground storey of the extension exceeds 10% of the area of the ground storey of the building to be extended and is greater than 200 m²;

(ii)the extension incorporates an external entrance; or

(iii)there is access for disabled people to and within the ground storey of the building to be extended;

(b)the alteration or extension of any storey to which Part R applied when that storey was erected;

(c)the vertical extension of a building to the uppermost storey of which Part R applied when that storey was erected; and

(d)the provision or alteration of a facility provided for disabled people.