What is a section 80 demolition notice?

If your considering demolishing an existing building you will need to submit a demolition, Section 80 Notice together with your (RAMS) to your local authority according to section 80 of the buildings Act 1984.

Your RAMS should include a demolition method statement, Risk Assessment, COSHH Assessment, comprehensive plan of the building and adjoining streets, and a list of occupiers adjacent to the building.

You will also need to notify service providers, including Gas, Water and Electricity. You must also have a Pre-demolition survey carried out on the building before you start any demolition activities.

On completion of the section 80 and the above you will normally have to wait 6 weeks before you commence demolition works. Your local authority then has approximately 6 weeks to respond to your section 80 demolition notification.

You should receive a counter notice within 6 weeks of receipt of the demolition notification from your local authority outlining any additional conditions that need to be met.

You need a notice for any demolition except for:

• when a demolition order is made under the Housing Act 1957
• the demolition of an internal part of an occupied building
• the demolition of a building with a volume of 50m³or less

The work should be supervised by someone with sufficient knowledge of the particular structure being dismantled and an understanding of the demolition method statement. For complex demolition projects, expert advice from structural engineers will be applicable.

All demolition works must be carried out so as to minimise, so far as  is reasonable practicable, the risks to employees and others who may be affected by the activities. CDM 2015 regulations applies to all demolition work.

The HSE must be informed before work begins if the construction work, including demolition, is to last for 30 days and has 20 workers working simultaneously or more than 500 person days are involved