Accessing historic documents

By law, we have to keep records of any Building Control applications that we receive for a minimum of 15 years.

We do hold archived applications from before this time.  If you're looking for Building Control plans relating to your property, we're happy to help. This level of historic search does carry a fee.  These plans are protected by copyright, so there are some restrictions on how they can be viewed and used.

This means that:

• Plans can only be viewed at the council office on a screen.
• Plans cannot be copied, photographed, scanned, or printed without the written permission of the plan owner (the original author).

Property owners can request to view plans relating to their property, Agents acting on behalf of the owner must provide written permission from the property owner before a viewing can be arranged. An email is acceptable.

Please note:

• Plans do not always show exactly what was built. Changes can be made during construction to address site conditions or design updates. Where regular inspections were carried out and changes agreed, this is usually not an issue.
• If you need plans to confirm foundation depths for a proposed extension or additional storey, the plans alone may not be sufficient. In these cases, you or your builder will need to excavate a trial hole so that we can inspect and verify the foundations.

To request a Viewing 

• Submit a request via email to building.control@runnymede.gov.uk
• Include the property address, your name and contact details and proof of ownership, or written authorisation from the owner if you are acting as their agent
• We'll check whether plans are available and contact you to confirm our search fee, payment methods and arrange a viewing appointment at the council office.

Copies of Certificates of Completion can be provided on request and carry a fee per building regulations application.

If you require copies of documents or have an enquiry, you can email the Building Control team