South Gloucestershire Council’s building control service has introduced a range of measures to make the service even more efficient, easier to use and greener.
The service is responsible for checking plans and the inspection of work so that it complies with building regulations. These are legal requirements laid down by the government that aim to ensure adequate standards for the construction of buildings. The regulations cover health and safety, energy conservation and access and facilities for disabled people and apply to most building work, with a few exemptions.
The service has introduced several innovative ways to help make life easier for builders and residents. Customers will now be able to request a site inspection for building regulations by simply sending a text message to 07950 080111. The text should start with the letter BLD REGS INSP and include a contact name and number, site address and type and date of inspection. Customers will then receive a confirmation text and, if the text is received before 9.30am, the requested inspection will be made on the same day.
To help streamline the building control applications process and reduce the service’s impact on the environment a paperless online application process has been introduced. Customers should visit www.southglos.gov.uk/constructionandhousing/buildingregulations/ to take advantage of the new, more efficient and customer focused service.
It’s not just the office processes that are getting leaner and greener. The building control service now boasts cycling surveyors that deliver services by bike within a three or four mile radius of the office. Two new pool bikes have been provided to enable surveyors to leave their cars behind and visit customers using pedal power – thereby reducing their impact on the environment.
The building control service is always looking at ways to listen to its customers and improve the way it works. Annual surveys of customers help to inform and plan improvements to the service and these surveys will be going online in the near future, with a simple online survey just a click away for customers.
Cllr Brian Allinson, executive member for planning, transportation and strategic environment, said: “I welcome the improvements that the building control service have introduced and I am sure that they will make life easier for customers and further improve what is already an excellent service.”
Source: South Gloucestershire Council
