The short answer
A Section 80 demolition notice is the formal notice you must give to the local authority under section 80 of the Building Act 1984 before demolishing all or part of a building in England and Wales. It tells the council what you intend to demolish and how, and it must be served on the council before work starts. The notice also goes to the owners and occupiers of adjoining buildings and to the relevant gas and electricity providers. Once it has the notice, the council can issue a Section 81 counter-notice setting conditions, such as how the site must be left, shoring of adjacent buildings and sealing of services. You usually cannot start until the notice period has passed or the council has responded. It is a notification and control process, not the same as planning permission.
The Section 80 notice is the backbone of demolition control in England and Wales. It gives the local authority the chance to set safety and method conditions before any structure comes down. This page explains who must serve it and what follows.
Key facts
- Legal basisSection 80, Building Act 1984
- Served onLocal authority (Building Control)
- Also notifiedAdjoining owners, gas, electricity
- Council responseSection 81 counter-notice
- Not the same asPlanning permission
What the Section 80 notice is and who serves it
Under section 80 of the Building Act 1984, anyone intending to demolish the whole or part of a building must give notice to the local authority before starting. The duty falls on the person carrying out the demolition — in practice the owner or the demolition contractor acting on their behalf.
The notice is intended to let the council know that a building is coming down so it can ensure the work is done safely and that neighbouring properties and the public are protected. It is a statutory notice, not an application you are graded on the merits of — but the council can attach conditions through its response. Certain small structures and some agricultural buildings can be exempt, and demolition under other powers (for example a court order) can be treated differently, so it is worth confirming whether your project needs a notice at all.
What the notice must cover and who else is told
A Section 80 notice should make clear what is being demolished and the building concerned. As part of the process the notice is also given to a wider group so that those affected are aware:
- the local authority (the Building Control body);
- the owner or occupier of any adjoining building that could be affected;
- the gas supplier for the area; and
- the electricity supplier for the area.
Notifying adjoining occupiers matters because demolition can expose party walls, remove support or affect shared structures. Notifying the utilities is part of making sure services are made safe and disconnected before work begins. Once the council has the notice, it has a window in which to respond.
The Section 81 counter-notice and conditions
After receiving a Section 80 notice, the local authority may serve a Section 81 counter-notice. This is where the council sets the practical conditions for how the demolition must be carried out. Conditions can require, for example:
- shoring or weatherproofing of adjacent buildings exposed by the demolition;
- making good any damage to adjoining property caused by the work;
- sealing or removal of sewers and drains, and disconnection of services; and
- removal of rubbish and materials and leaving the site in a safe condition.
You generally must not begin demolition until the notice period has elapsed or the council has issued its response. Failing to serve the notice, or ignoring the conditions, is an offence and can lead to enforcement. Because the counter-notice can add real cost and time, it is sensible to factor the notice period into your programme rather than treating it as a formality.
How the Section 80 notice fits the wider process
The Section 80 notice is a Building Control matter, and it is easy to confuse it with planning. The two are distinct and can both apply to the same demolition:
- Section 80 notice (Building Control): concerns how the demolition is carried out safely. It is served before work starts and lets the council attach method and safety conditions.
- Planning permission or prior approval: concerns whether demolition is acceptable in principle. Much demolition is permitted development needing prior approval of the method and site restoration, while full permission applies in some cases and stricter controls apply to listed buildings and conservation areas.
Alongside these sit the health and safety duties under CDM 2015 and, for older buildings, the requirement to survey and remove asbestos under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The Section 80 notice is therefore one element of a coordinated process, not the whole of it. Treating it as the single permission needed for demolition is a common error.
Practical points when serving the notice
A few practical considerations help the notice process run smoothly:
- Serve it early: allow enough lead time for the council's response window and for any Section 81 conditions to be received before you mobilise to site.
- Identify everyone who must be notified: the local authority, the owners or occupiers of adjoining buildings, and the gas and electricity suppliers all need to be told, so make sure none are missed.
- Coordinate with utility disconnections: notifying the gas and electricity suppliers ties in with arranging the safe disconnection of services, which itself takes time to organise with the providers.
- Keep records: retain copies of the notice and any council response, as they evidence that the proper process was followed.
- Use a competent contractor: an experienced demolition contractor will normally handle the notice as part of planning the job, but the legal duty to notify still rests with the person carrying out the demolition.
Approaching the Section 80 notice methodically — serving it in good time, telling everyone who must be told, and incorporating any conditions into the method statement — keeps the demolition lawful and reduces the risk of delay once you are ready to start.
Why the notice protects neighbours and the public
The Section 80 process exists for sound practical reasons, and understanding them helps explain why it is taken seriously. Demolition is inherently disruptive to its surroundings, and the notice gives the council the means to manage that disruption before a building comes down:
- Adjoining buildings can lose support: where a building shares a party wall or abuts a neighbour, taking it down can expose or weaken the adjoining structure. Notifying adjoining owners and allowing the council to require shoring protects them.
- Exposed surfaces need protecting: demolition can leave a neighbour's wall exposed to the weather, so conditions can require it to be weatherproofed and made good.
- Services and drains run between properties: sealing sewers and drains and disconnecting services prevents flooding, contamination and damage to the wider network.
- The public must be kept safe: the council's oversight supports the broader protection of passers-by and neighbouring occupiers during the work.
Seen this way, the Section 80 notice and any Section 81 conditions are not bureaucratic hurdles but the mechanism through which a demolition is made safe for everyone around it. This is also why the notice is sent to adjoining owners and the utility suppliers, not just the council — each of them has a stake in the building being taken down safely. For the person carrying out the demolition, engaging with the process properly is the surest way to avoid disputes, damage claims and enforcement, and to keep good relations with neighbours throughout the job.
Frequently asked questions
Who serves the Section 80 notice?
The person carrying out the demolition serves it — usually the building owner or the demolition contractor acting for them. In practice a competent contractor will handle the notice as part of planning the job, but the legal duty to notify still rests with whoever is doing the work.
How long must you wait after serving a Section 80 notice?
You must wait until the notice period set out in the Building Act 1984 has passed or the local authority has responded with its conditions, whichever applies. The council uses this window to decide whether to serve a Section 81 counter-notice, so confirm timings with Building Control before booking the work.
Is a Section 80 notice needed for every demolition?
Not always. Some small structures and certain agricultural buildings can be exempt, and very minor works may fall outside it. Because the boundaries depend on the building and its size, check with your local authority's Building Control team rather than assuming an exemption applies.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific building. They are guidance, not a quotation.