LABC Partner

The LABC Partner Authority Scheme is designed to help those companies that operate in multiple locations and deal with many local authorities. The scheme enables a company to have a one to one working relationship with a preferred local authority for advice and plan appraisal. The site inspections are carried out by the local authority where each project is carried out. There are a number of benefits to this scheme including:

• This scheme helps to simplify and speed up the building process generating substantial savings in time and money.
• A dedicated professional building control surveyor from the preferred local authority becomes part of the design team to offer advice on all projects no matter where they are in the country.
• The design team approach ensures that any issues can be resolved early in the design process and will eliminate the need for expensive corrections later in the construction phase.
• The single point of contact provided enjoyed through this scheme results in a consistent approach to plan appraisal.
• Any local conditions, site specific information and necessary consultations are investigated on behalf of the client.

In summary, the client benefits from a single point of contact, consistent approach, improved pre-application service and still benefits from local knowledge, excellent liaison with other services such as Fire, Police and Environmental Health.

Space Industries partner with Dorset Council and BCP Council Building Control, who both provide excellent service. These partnerships enable building regulation applications to be processed and approved in a seamless and very efficient manner.

In some cases our clients also partner with the same LABC which allows Space Industries the opportunity to work uniquely in a collaborative environment on a number of diverse projects.

On complicated projects, we hold early meetings with our LABC Partnering Officer at the initial design stage, before making a formal submission for Building Regulation approval. The design is discussed and often improvements are made at this stage, providing much greater certainty that the final design will meet the requirements of the Building Regulations, and avoiding potentially time-wasting re-design.

We have several clients for whom we undertake roll out projects around the country and for whom we have been able to agree the basic principles of the interpretation of the Building Regulations with our LABC Partner for their very specific requirements. Our LABC Partner has provided his advice to the Local Inspecting Authorities using his special knowledge of how the building’s use will be managed. This approach provides consistency across the country, and where there are any departures from the generic guidelines provided by the Approved Documents, these do not need to be agreed again with each authority local to each project.

For Space Industries this approach encompasses the ethos of Constructing Excellence by reducing both design and construction time and delivering cost savings to their clients.