The new edition of the Building Regulations Pocket Book has been fully updated with recent changes to the UK Building Regulations and Planning Law. This handy guide provides you with all the information you need to comply with the UK Building Regulations and Approved Documents. On site, in the van, in the office – wherever you are – this is the book you’ll refer to time and time again to check the regulations on your current job.

• Part 1 provides an overview of the Building Act.
• Part 2 offers a handy guide to the dos and don’ts of gaining the Local Council’s approval for Planning Permission and Building Regulations Approval.
• Part 3 presents an overview of the requirements of the Approved Documents associated with the Building Regulations.
• Part 4 is an easy-to-read explanation of the essential requirements of the Building Regulations that any architect, builder or DIYer needs to know to keep their work safe and compliant on both domestic and non-domestic jobs.

Major changes to the regulations have occurred since the previous edition driven by the introduction of the Building Safety Act, a Building Safety Levy and Future Homes Standard, and changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. The new edition also introduces the new Approved Document T, updated information on costs and fees, and includes coverage of updates to Approved Documents B, F, L O, R, and S. This book is essential reading for all building contractors and sub-contractors, site engineers, building engineers, building control officers, building surveyors, architects, construction site managers as well as DIYers and those who are supervising work in their own home, and students studying built environment topics.

Ray Tricker (MSc, IEng, CQP, FCQI, FIET, FCMI, FIRSE) and Samantha Alford (MSc, MCIPS) have been writing the Building Regulations in Brief Books together since 2008. Sadly, while this edition was being worked on Ray passed away so it has been left to Samantha to complete the revision as a solo project. Ray was a Senior Consultant with over 50 years’ continuous service in quality, safety and environmental management, project management, communication electronics, railway command, control and signalling systems, information technology and the development of molecular nanotechnology. He served with the Royal Corps of Signals (for a total of 37 years) during which time he held various managerial posts culminating in being appointed as the Chief Engineer of NATO’s Communication Security Agency. He was the author of over 60 books on diverse subjects, such as Quality, Safety and Environmental management, Building, Wiring and Water regulations for Taylor & Francis. Most of Ray’s work since leaving the services has centred on the European railways and the Trinidad rapid rail system where he held a number of posts in the Quality Management field. He was a UKAS Assessor responsible for the assessment of certification bodies for the harmonisation of the Trans-European high-speed railway networks and kept busy assisting small businesses from around the world (usually on a no cost basis) to produce their own auditable quality and/or integrated management systems to meet the requirements of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 etc.

Samantha is an established technical author, instructor, business management specialist and data protection officer. She has over 40 years of continuous experience in compliance, governance and oversight and has worked in the public, private, voluntary and charity sectors. Samantha served in the Royal Air Force for 17 years and has a wide and varied skillset and extensive experience in business management at both strategic and operational levels having held a number of planning, policy, contract and performance management roles. She is a Director of Professional Procurement and Project Management Ltd where she leads the Data Protection consultancy function providing SMEs with invaluable consultancy advice on all matters relating to personal data including data protection officer support, training, project support services (assisting with Subject Access Requests, Freedom of Information requests and recovery after data breaches), business documentation and procedure development. She is a certified GDPR practitioner, an IOSH Health and Safety Manager, a Quality Auditor (internal, external and third party) and an experienced instructor. Her book GDPR: A Game of Snakes and Ladders was published by Routledge in February 2020 and is currently being reviewed to include the 2025 Data Use and Access Act.

In this edition we are delighted to have a new cover design by Ken Alford. Ken is an architectural assistant with 4 years’ experience at Faulkner Browns. He specialises in exploring the relationship between form and function with an emphasis on sustainable development and regeneration in a post-industrial context. Ken has been invaluable in producing new figures for this edition and he has provided us with valuable input in terms of what is currently being taught to junior and aspiring architects, and what they need from this book.