Commercial construction: Building regulations and planning approvals

Commercial construction can be extremely complicated to plan, especially with the numerous building regulations and laws to abide by. Commercial building contractors will typically know the ropes and be able to handle most of the planning process; however, some of the process takes place before a building contractor is even hired.

For this reason, it is highly recommended that the person or team responsible for the construction knows what they're doing. This type of information is also useful in order to avoid any breach of regulations.

What are building regulations?

Building regulations are a set of rules and standards that apply to the design and construction of buildings. They are in place for safety, health and community interest purposes. For example, commercial buildings must adhere to certain power conservation standards, amongst others. Regulations may vary from state to state, or even vary between local councils.

The planning process for commercial construction

It's all very well adhering to building regulations; however, a construction plan or development application must be submitted and approved by your local council before commencing work. The plans must meet that particular council's regulations and standards before any commercial construction work will be approved.

Typical elements that must be submitted as part of your construction plan include drawings and an environmental statement indicating the expected impact the construction will have on the surrounding natural environment.

A planning and construction process for a commercial building would go something along the lines of:

• Submit a construction plan or development application to the relevant government body. Your local council will be able to provide you with guidelines on how to submit a proper application.
• If the application complies with building regulations and standards it will generally be approved.
• A construction certificate may need to be obtained depending on your local council's policy.
• Your local council must be notified of the construction commencement date.

Do not forget to notify local residents and neighbours of your intended construction work.