Working hours can be extended to 9pm on building sites, Government says
Construction could take place until 9pm on building sites after councils were asked by the Government to allow extensions to working hours during the coronavirus pandemic and recovery.
The temporary extension has been proposed to ensure work can be carried out safely in line with social distancing guidelines and would be allowed six days a week, excluding Sundays.
Cannock Chase Council’s planning committee was told of the ministerial statement on planning and construction working hours at its meeting on Wednesday. (
A report to the committee said: "Developers should expect their local planning authority to grant temporary changes to construction working hours until 9pm or later, six days a week, wherever possible and where construction working hours are controlled by planning condition. This flexibility is in relation to control imposed by the planning system only
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"Where there are modest or short-term changes to construction working hours, this may be agreed informally with the local planning authority, and they should use their discretion to not enforce against a breach of working hours.
"Where long or more significant changes to working hours are required, a formal application may be requested by the local planning authority. In doing so it will be important for applicants to consider potential impacts and, where necessary, to put forward plans to manage concerns. Longer hours may be justified, especially if there are no residential dwellings nearby.
Time limit
"In making their decision local planning authorities may consider where there are unreasonable impacts but they will be able to reject proposals only where there are very compelling reasons. These reasons could include the significant impact on neighbouring businesses or uses, such as care homes, which are particularly sensitive to noise, dust or vibration, which cannot be overcome through other mitigation, or where impacts on densely populated areas would be unreasonable."
A response from council officers stated that applicants seeking an extension to working hours should have to submit a revised construction environmental management plan. This should include details including the time limit of the variation, the hours they plan to work, how they intend to control noise, dust and vibration and how they will inform nearby residents of the new site working hours.
But Councillor Paul Woodhead said: "I can understand this when the Government is trying to support the acceleration of building across the country to get the economy back up and running but I have a few concerns around it.
"It doesn’t seem there is any kind of end date – when is a recovery not a recovery and it becomes normal practice? I think it would be helpful at a local level if we review it at a later time when we understand how many of these sites are operating on extended hours.
"Flexibility shouldn’t just be set to 9pm – it may be more appropriate if it’s 7pm or 8pm in some places. On consultation with local residents I would be really keen that’s as extensive as it can be.
"If there is industrial equipment or moving around at 7.30pm or 8pm this noise can carry a long way if you are trying to put small children to bed. It’s hard enough when it’s light.
"Would it be possible to make members aware of any grants of these conditions in their particular wards? We would be the first people to get complaints if this happens."
Planning officer Richard Sunter responded: "I will see what measures can be put in place to ensure all members are notified of this.
"We will be making sure that we are as flexible as possible but (construction sites) need to be as responsible as possible if they want to benefit from these arrangements."
