Demolition

BCT is aware that concerns have been raised over the process for demolitions where they are not part of a planning application. Where this occurs an S80 demolition notice is completed by the applicant and an S81 issued by a Building Control Officer at the local authority. In most cases the S80 form supplied by the local authority does not include a question on protected species and therefore it would seem likely that in many cases the presence of bats could be overlooked.

NEWS: In a judgment delivered on 25 March 2011 the Court of Appeal decided that demolition constitutes a project under the terms of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. This automatically meant that the directive in UK law which exempts the demolition of certain building types from requiring planning permission became unlawful.

The ruling will have major implications for planning authorities. More info here.