Part R for Conversions & Change of Use

Does Part R apply to conversions?

This is one of the most common questions we get, and the answer surprises a lot of people. The 2022 Part R requirements for new homes, RA1 (gigabit-ready physical infrastructure) and RA2 (a connection to a gigabit-capable network), apply to the erection of new dwellings. Approved Document R Volume 1 specifically says they do not apply to new dwellings created through a material change of use (paragraphs 1.6 and 2.12).

So if you are turning a barn, a shop, an office or a commercial unit into homes, the new-build gigabit requirements, and the connectivity plan that goes with them, are not normally triggered by the conversion itself.

When requirement R1 can apply instead

Approved Document R has a second volume. Volume 2 covers requirement R1: high-speed-ready in-building physical infrastructure. R1 applies to new non-domestic buildings and to existing buildings undergoing major renovation works, including existing dwellings.

"Major renovation works" are defined as works encompassing structural modifications of the entire in-building physical infrastructure, or of a significant part of it. Many conversions involve exactly that kind of strip-out and rebuild. Where they do, R1 asks for:

• in-building physical infrastructure (such as ducts or trays) from an access point to a network termination point in each dwelling
• a common access point serving all the dwellings, where the building contains more than one dwelling
• infrastructure able to carry connections of more than 30 Mbps in future.

R1 is lighter than RA1 and RA2. It covers in-building infrastructure only, with no requirement to secure a connection, and it has its own exemptions. These include listed buildings or conservation areas where compliance would unacceptably alter their character, and major renovations where the cost would be disproportionate to the benefit. Whether your project counts as a major renovation is a judgement your building control body will make.

When part of a conversion scheme is new build

Many "conversion" projects aren't purely conversions. If the scheme also erects new dwellings, such as a new-build block alongside a converted farmhouse, or an extension that forms a separate new flat, those new dwellings fall under RA1 and RA2 in the usual way. They need gigabit-ready infrastructure, a connection subject to the £2,000 per dwelling cost cap, and a connectivity plan with the Building Regulations application.

Mixed schemes are where mistakes happen. Developers assume the whole site is exempt because the planning description says "conversion", and Building Control then ask for a connectivity plan for the new-build plots. It's worth checking plot by plot.

Why connectivity still matters for converted homes

• Buyers and tenants expect it. Fast broadband is now near the top of most people's wish lists, and a converted home without a clear route for fibre is harder to sell or let.
• It's cheaper during the works. Laying a duct while floors and walls are open costs a fraction of retrofitting later.
• Rural sites take time. Barn conversions are often a long way from existing fibre, and network operators can have long lead times for new connections.
• Multi-unit buildings need a plan. Flats in a converted building need a shared route from a common access point to each dwelling.

How we can help

Send us your drawings and a short description of the scheme. We'll look at which parts are new build and which are change of use, and tell you whether a Part R connectivity plan is needed for any of it. Where one is, we'll quote a fixed price, from £249.99 + VAT for a standard plan, before any work starts. If none is needed, we'll tell you that too.

For the full rules, see our Part R and Approved Document R guide. If you are building new homes, see connectivity plans for self-builds and single dwellings.

Conversions: common questions

Related Part R guides