Corporation of London

The Technical Services Department retains overall responsibility for many of the City of London's major construction and civil engineering projects. The Department includes the District Surveyor and the City Engineer. Both are concerned with building control and regulation, ensuring that all building work complies with the appropriate standards, that health and safety is not compromised and that the needs of people with disabilities are catered for.

The origins of building control date to 1667, when Parliament passed an Act for the rebuilding of London after the 1666 Great Fire. The Act set out to prevent a recurrence of the disaster and for the first time surveyors were appointed to ensure its requirements were not violated.

In the nineteenth century the District Surveyors Association was formed to ensure the uniformity and interpretation of building legislation throughout London, a role which continues to this day. Building Control today plays a major role in the realisation of a safe and healthy built environment and is a fundamental part of the overall success of modern construction within the City of London.