Building Standards Licensing
Building Standards acts in an advisory capacity to the Council’s Licensing Board. Premises such as public houses, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and betting offices are covered. The service gives consideration to several areas including means of escape, emergency lighting, access for the disabled, occupant capacity and structural stability.
Building Standards Certificate of Suitability
The Licensing Board sits at regular intervals to consider applications made under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. An applicant can apply for a premises licence for which:
- Alcohol will be sold for consumption solely ON the premises
- Alcohol will be sold for consumption solely OFF the premises
- Alcohol will be sold for consumption both ON and OFF the premises
Under Section 50 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act a Building Standards Certificate of Suitability is ONLY required where the licence application is for a FULL licence or the confirmation of a provisional license. An application for a Building Standards certificate incurs a fee of £157.
Forms
Building Standards Certificate of Suitability application form
An application for a PROVISIONAL licence will however still require a Planning Certificate and you should contact your local Planning Office
Raised Structure Certification
An application for Building Standards Certificate - Raised Structures is required for a raised structure erected above 600mm high from ground level. This includes, raised/terraced seating, a stage and any other structure to where the public have access.
If you are intending to erect one of these structures, an application under Section 89 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 is required. This should be accompanied by scaled drawings showing the position of the structure on a location plan and details, specific to the structure i.e. floor plans, sections, elevations etc. Failure to provide drawings sufficient to determine your submission will result in your application and fee being returned to you.
A Design Certificate for the erection of a raised structure should also be provided at this time, completed by the persons, appropriately qualified and authorised to erect/check the structure.
On completion of the structure, prior to the event, “A Certificate of Completion of Erection and Inspection of a Raised Structure”, should be provided to Building Standards. If found to be satisfactory, Building Standards will issue a Consent to Use under Section 89.
Events
Events range from pop, rock, and classical concerts, Hogmanay celebrations, Golf Tournaments, Highland Games and Agricultural shows. The attendance can vary from a few hundred to 20,000 plus, but for each event the organiser has the prime responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of everyone attending or working at the event. It is recommended that an event organiser consults with the local authority and emergency services when planning an event. In most cases an application for a Public Entertainment Licence will be required.
Applications should be submitted to the Council's Licensing Board, who can give advice on the last lodging date for an application, which is related to the proposed event date. Experience has shown that for large events, contact with the local authority 6 - 9 months before the proposed event is a realistic timescale. An Event Safety Team is normally created to co-ordinate all the planning aspects of major events, and comprises the organiser, local authority, emergency services, health authority, security company, and venue manager. This team would meet on a regular basis to ensure that all members are updated on the proposals. The Service has a considerable input into major events at both indoor and outdoor venues, particularly in relation to crowd capacity, means of escape, raised structures, crowd control barriers and general safety matters. Contact with the Service is encouraged to discuss relevant issues at the earliest possible time. For further information regarding any Licensing issues please contact the Council's Licensing Department on 01546 604338 or email: licensing@argyll-bute.gov.uk.
