Somerset Building Control

Somerset Building Control (SBC) is the largest Local Authority Building Control Partnership in the South West. We provide a modern, flexible building control service to businesses and householders on behalf of the new Somerset Council. The Local Authority Building Control service covering the former Mendip, Sedgemoor, Taunton and West, and South Somerset District Councils.

The Building Regulations 2010 as amended in 2023 introduced the role of dutyholders

There are three new dutyholders defined in the amended regulations. Please note, every application must have the following, with the client being responsible for appointing the below dutyholders:

• Client including Domestic Clients -previously known as the Applicant
• Principal Designer - previously known as the Agent. If you do not have a Principal Designer or agent, you by default will be the Principal Designer
• Principal Contractor - previously known as the Builder

The regulations tell us that all dutyholders are obliged to have arrangements and systems in place to plan, manage and monitor both the design work and the building work to ensure compliance with building regulations. This includes residential homeowners who may be embarking on a project for the first time, residential homeowners are referred to as Domestic Clients.

The duty to ensure compliance remains with those who procure the building work and those who have key roles in the design and construction process and who are responsible for ensuring that building work is designed and built to be compliant with building regulations. The dutyholders are required to work together to ensure that the project complies with the requirements of the regulations and ultimately ensures that the Building Control Body can issue its completion certificate.