On Sunday 10 May, in his address to the nation, the Prime Minister announced that where safe to do so, the construction industry should return to work. 
Since the national lockdown was introduced in March, Arun Building Control has been carrying out remote inspections rather than physically visiting on-going construction projects. These remote inspections have been undertaken by requesting and then assessing video clips and photographs of building works. 
As the local construction industry now comes out of hibernation, Arun District Council anticipate that more local construction projects will require further Building Control support.  To assist all builders and property owners to meet their statutory obligations in requesting site visits, we will now be re-commencing some physical inspections of external building works as these are progressed. Other types of inspection (in the main these will be works which can only be viewed from within a building) will continue to be remotely inspected. We will request, then review and assess photographs of the project that you will be asked to provide. 

Central to these latest arrangements is the continuing need to ensure social distancing for all parties involved with building projects.

In this regard of this I am also attaching Arun’s updated Inspection policy for your information:

https://www.arun.gov.uk/mhclg-guidance
                 
Amongst other things, this policy informs Government’s latest thinking and also contains links to protecting personnel operating on building sites during the current Coronavirus crisis.

To recap, when you require a Building Control Inspection of your construction project, we are looking for your co-operation to do the following:

• Notify your inspection request in the normal manner (please email bldg.con@arun.gov.uk or call 01903 737500) at least 24 hours before you need a response from Building Control. It will be necessary for you to provide your telephone number so we can call you back.
• Prior to any inspection you will be contacted by telephone to ascertain whether the site visit is for an internal or external inspection of the works. At the same time several questions about site access and coronavirus matters will be asked.
• Whether the inspection is for an external or internal site visit will dictate whether a remote or actual visit is made. If the former, you will be asked to submit photographs and/or video clips of the work you wish to be inspected to bldg.con@arun.gov.uk (please remember to quote the site address, your Building Control reference and also your telephone number).
• Finally here, please ensure you avoid trying to contact individual officers directly - even if they have dealt with you on a previous occasion. Officers may become ill in the future or be unavailable and your request may not be dealt with in time.

These continue to be unusual times and whilst we always welcome having the opportunity to provide advice on site, you can still continue to contact Building Control for guidance, information or assistance by phone or email (see above contact details).

As an aside to how we intend to conduct inspections for the duration, these latest arrangements will not affect how we administer new Building Regulation applications. As normal, new applications should be submitted online by following this link:  https://www.arun.gov.uk/make-an-application 

Finally, if you require any further information or assurance regarding your Building Control project, please call me on 01903 737596 or email at jim.henn@arun.gov.uk

Jim Henn
Building Control Manager