These are links I use myself on a daily basis - anything useful I come across gets added to the list - hopefully you will find them useful also. The government likes to move links around and so if you find any broken links please email me (link top left of page)

 

• Government's National Policy Framework guidance site

 

• Neighbourhood Planning - government guide to the proposed changes to the planning system involving locals

 

• My Community Rights website

 

• LDNPA website page on Listed Buildings

 

• Site Waste Management Plans Regulation 2008 - from April 6th 2008 for construction projects over £300k - revoked 2013

• Smartwaste free software tools

 

• CDM Regulations 2015 - Link to HSE site on Construction (Design and Management) Health & Safety Regulations

 

• CDM Regulations 2015 - CITB site with good publications (note that this site uses an Adobe Flash plug-in)

 

• Asbestos Surveys - free guide from HSE

 

• Gas Safety - Landlord's guide - HSE website

 

• Fire Safety - the new Fire Portal following the demise of Fire Certificates on 1st October 2006

 

• Fire Documents for business from Government relating to above

 

• Building Regulations latest documents

 

• Eden District Council Building Regulations explanations page - a really useful and practical guide to Building Regulations

 

• Sprinklers/water mist systems in domestic buildings report from Building Research Establishment listed along with other matters related to review of Part B of the Building Regulations

 

• Party Wall Act Link to Government online booklet

 

• Equality Act Guidance Disability Rights

 

• English Heritage and link to Historic England (no, I don't know why they split it up either)

 

• Historic Scotland Technical Papers - excellent resource on the latest thinking on among other issues damp in solid walls and real World U-values

 

• PPS5 (March 2010) - planning for historic environment - free PDF download (superseded, for reference)

 

• PPS practice guide from English Heritage - withdrawn but useful

 

• Listed Building Search - search for Listed Buildings

 

• Images of England - Historic England (formerly part of English Heritage) searchable database of images of Listed Buildings in England with the actual listing included (not exhaustive)

 

• Environment Agency for flood risk area maps

 

• Dept. for Communities and Local Government - PPS25 on Development in Flood Risk areas has been withdrawn and so we jump about from site to site

 

• Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 - 6th April 2010 onwards - implications for septic tank and treatment plants

 

• Customs website page for downloading guide on reduced rate and exemption from VAT on residential construction project

 

• Quick Customs Guide on construction vat rates

 

• Tree Preservation Orders - 2012 but now superseded [August 2015] by guidance here

 

• Government Householders guide to planning [pdf download]

Under review it says on the above document [August 2015]

Permitted development rights changed on 1st October 2008 from volume based calculations to something 'simpler'

 

• Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS 3) - relates to Government policy on housing, including affordable rural housing

 

• Are you at risk of radioactive Radon gas? - check here - latest maps and/or order postcode check online for small fee. Implications for Building Regulations applications and protection measures.

 

• Indicative Atlas of Radon in England and Wales these seem to be 2007 - Local Authority Building Control (see Technical page) may have more recent versions but I don't see any online

 

• Building Research Establishment (BRE) Radon page

 

• Community Infrastructure Levy to come in by Spring 2009 - withdrawn government guidance and new guidance link

 

• Construction Health Risks page on HSE website

 

• AECB - the sustainable building association (I'm a member) - very interesting document library and information

 

• Energy Saving Trust - non-profit organisation website with useful links and information on energy saving

 

• Carbon Trust - set up by UK government - site with useful links regarding reducing carbon emissions

 

• Greenbook live - Building Research Establishment green specification guide online

 

• Greenspec - green specification guidance site

 

• Code for sustainable homes [withdrawn] - UK government site

 

• energy4all - non-profit organisation expert in community-owned renewable energy schemes

 

• Biomass Energy website - government information site giving information on all aspects of biomass energy installations

 

• SPAB - Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (I'm a member) excellent resources and courses

 

• STBA - sustainable traditional buildings alliance - excellent reference and information

 

• UBT - usable buildings trust - (the most amusing serious information site around :-)

 

• BIM (Building Information Modelling?) - What is COBie? Article by NBS' Dr Stephen Hamil on Government requirement for use of BIM on projects

 

• BIM Demystified - book by Steve Race - one of the few people who knows what they are talking about on this subject

 

• Revit Forum - the best self-help site in the World for users of Autodesk Revit 3D CAD modelling software

 

• Planning Law Blog by Martin Goodall - informative comment on planning law

 

• Planning Jungle website - requires subscription but some free content. Guide to householder Permitted Development
  
  
• National Park Authority Contact Details Page - very useful list of who's who and does what and how to contact them

 

• SPAB Technical Q&As page (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) technical information

William Sutherland rias riba

Chartered Architect

Director