Search Legislation

Building Act 1984

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Approved documents

 Help about opening options

Changes to legislation:

Building Act 1984, Cross Heading: Approved documents is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 March 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

Approved documentsE+W

6 Approval of documents for purposes of building regulations.E+W

(1)For the purpose of providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of any provision of building regulations, the [F1appropriate national authority] or a body designated by [F2the appropriate national authority] for the purposes of this section may—

(a)approve and issue any document (whether or not prepared by [F2the appropriate national authority] or by the body concerned), or

(b)approve any document issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by [F2the appropriate national authority] or by the body concerned,

if in the opinion of the [F1appropriate national authority] or, as the case may be, the body concerned the document is suitable for that purpose.

(2)References in this section and section 7 below to a document include references to a part of a document; and accordingly, in relation to a document of which part only is approved, a reference in the following provisions of this section or in section 7 below to the approved document is a reference only to the part of it that is approved.

(3)An approval given under subsection (1) above takes effect in accordance with a notice that is issued by the [F1appropriate national authority] or, as the case may be, the body giving the approval and that—

(a)identifies the approved document in question,

(b)states the date on which the approval of it is to take effect, and

(c)specifies the provisions of building regulations for the purposes of which the document is approved.

(4)The [F1appropriate national authority] or, as the case may be, the body that gave the approval may—

(a)from time to time approve and issue a revision of the whole or any part of an approved document issued by F3... it for the purposes of this section, and

(b)approve any revision or proposed revision of the whole or any part of an approved document,

and subsection (3) above, with the necessary modifications, applies in relation to an approval that is given under this subsection to a revision as it applies in relation to an approval that is given under subsection (1) above to a document.

(5)The [F1appropriate national authority] or, as the case may be, the body that gave the approval may withdraw F4... its approval of a document under this section; and such a withdrawal of approval takes effect in accordance with a notice that is issued by the [F1appropriate national authority] or body concerned and that—

(a)identifies the approved document in question, and

(b)states the date on which the approval of it is to cease to have effect.

[F5(5A)A notice under subsection (3) or (5) may contain transitional or saving provision (and different provision may be made for different purposes or for different areas).

(5B)A body may give an approval under subsection (1) or (4), or withdraw an approval under subsection (5), only with the consent of the appropriate national authority.]

(6)References in subsections (4) and (5) above and in section 7 below to an approved document are references to that document as it has effect for the time being, regard being had to any revision of the whole or any part of it that has been approved under subsection (4) above.

(7)Where a body ceases to be a body designated by the [F1appropriate national authority] for the purposes of this section, subsections (4) and (5) above have effect as if any approval given by that body had been given by the Secretary of State.

(8)The power to designate a body for the purposes of this section is exercisable by order made by statutory instrument, which is [F6

(a)in the case of a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State, subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament;

(b)in the case of a statutory instrument made by the Welsh Ministers, subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of Senedd Cymru.]

[F7(9)An order under subsection (8) may provide that a body is designated only in relation to—

(a)buildings of a specified description;

(b)work of a specified description;

(c)specified provisions of building regulations.]

Textual Amendments

7 Compliance or non-compliance with approved documents.E+W

(1)A failure on the part of a person to comply with an approved document does not of itself render him liable to any civil or criminal proceedings; but if, in any proceedings whether civil or criminal, it is alleged that a person has at any time contravened a provision of building regulations—

(a)a failure to comply with a [F8relevant approved document] may be relied upon as tending to establish liability, and

(b)proof of compliance with such a document may be relied on as tending to negative liability.

[F9(1A)In subsection (1) “relevant approved document” means a document approved for the purposes of the provision that applies in relation to the work in question.]

(2)In any proceedings, whether civil or criminal—

(a)a document purporting to be a notice issued as mentioned in section 6(3) above shall be taken to be such a notice unless the contrary is proved, and

(b)a document that appears to the court [F10or tribunal] to be the approved document to which such a notice refers shall be taken to be that approved document unless the contrary is proved.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules as a PDF

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act without Schedules

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources