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There have been changes made to the building regulations which see new parts Q and R whilst existing approved documents G, H and M have been revised.
Part Q: Security - Dwellings
Part Q of the building regulations which covers security for new dwellings or dwellings formed by a material change of use came in to force on the 1st October 2015.
The requirement as stated in the building regulations Approved Document Q is: Reasonable provisions must be made to resist the unauthorised access to any dwelling and any part of a building from which access can be made to a flat within the building.
Part R: Physical infrastructure for high speed electronic communications networks
Part R of the building regulations which covers provisions physical infrastructure for high speed electronic networks in new buildings or major renovation works to a building came in to force on the 1st January 2017.
The requirement as stated in the building regulations Approved Document R is: Building work must be carried out so as to ensure that the building is equipped with a high speed ready in building physical infrastructure up to a network termination point for high speed electronic communications networks and where the work concerns a building containing more than one dwelling, the work must be carried out so as to ensure that the building is equipped in addition with a common access point for high speed electronic communications networks.
Part G and Part M
Parts G and M of the building regulations have been revised to take in to account the optional requirements. The changes came in to affect from October 1st 2015. The requirements allow the Local Authority to set higher standards for water efficiencies and accessibility in to and use of dwellings where it has identified within the authorities local plan. At present within the Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Service area there are no additional requirements identified.
Part G: Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency
Approved document G has been amended and as of October 1st 2015 the main changes to revise this document are: The introduction of an optional requirement which can impose a limit of 110 litres of water per person per day rather than the 125 litres that is currently in place for new dwellings.
An introduction of a fittings approach can now be adopted as an alternative to using the water efficiency calculator. The document also includes the water efficiency calculator methodology.
Part M: Access to and use of buildings
Part M has now been split in to two documents:
Volume 1 Dwellings
Volume 2 Buildings other than dwellings
As a result of the optional requirements that can be imposed by the Local authorities planning department volume 1-Dwellings has three categories:
Category 1: Visitable dwellings
Category 2: Accessible and adaptable dwellings
Category 3: Wheelchair user dwellings.
Category 1 within the approved document remains the same and for the most cases will continue to be the minimum standard that is applied.
Categories 2 and 3 within the approved document relate to the optional requirements which can only be applied where it has been implemented as policy within the local plan.
Volume 2 is a new document that only refers to Buildings other than dwellings. The minimum standards that was previously applied to buildings other than dwellings when Part M was one document is continued within this volume.
ISBN: 9781859467473 - Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings, volume 1: Dwellings (2015 edition incorporating 2016 amendments)
Part H: Drainage and waste disposal
Approved Document H which covers drainage and the means of waste disposal has been amended to include guidance on solid waste storage. The guidance has been introduced to reduce the impact of unsightly bins by providing adequate storage. Reference is made within the approved document to the NHBC report NF60 for best practice guidance and BS 5906:2005.
ISBN: 9781859465998 - Approved Document H: Drainage and waste disposal (2015 edition)