Part L · Design & Planning

SAP Calculations & EPCs
in Gloucestershire

OCDEA-accredited SAP and EPC delivery across all 6 Gloucestershire LPAs — Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cotswold and Forest of Dean. 3-5 day turnaround. Local knowledge of the Joint Core Strategy and every Gloucestershire Local Plan.

Get a SAP Quote Our SAP process

OCDEA

accredited assessors
EES/030713

3-5 day

typical turnaround
desk-based delivery

6 LPAs

covered across Gloucestershire
JCS, Cotswold, Stroud, Forest of Dean

Get a Quote

OCDEA accredited · 3-5 day turnaround across Gloucestershire

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SAP calculations in Gloucestershire

Local OCDEA assessors covering all six Gloucestershire planning authorities.

Gloucestershire has six Local Planning Authorities — Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cotswold, and Forest of Dean — three of which (Cheltenham, Gloucester, Tewkesbury) operate under the shared Joint Core Strategy. We work with all six on a regular basis. Build Envelope is OCDEA-accredited (EES/030713) and based in Worcester — under 45 minutes from Cheltenham via the M5.

SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) is the government-approved method for calculating the energy performance of new build dwellings. It is required at Design Stage to demonstrate compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations, and again at As-Built stage before an EPC can be issued.

The Cotswold AONB covers significant parts of Cotswold, Stroud, and Tewkesbury districts — applications in the AONB face stricter sustainability and heritage requirements. The Joint Core Strategy sets specific energy targets for major residential schemes in Cheltenham, Gloucester, and Tewkesbury. We understand what each Gloucestershire LPA expects to see in submitted documentation.

Whether you are submitting outline planning, reserved matters, or seeking a fully accredited SAP and EPC, we deliver in 3-5 working days. Need it faster? Tell us — we routinely accommodate urgent turnarounds across Gloucestershire.

Part L 2021 compliance

DER ≤ TER

Dwelling Emissions Rate must be lower or equal to Target Emissions Rate — Part L 2021, England

Cotswold AONB sites need extra care. Cotswold and Stroud planning officers expect higher sustainability commitments and heritage-appropriate building specifications. We model your spec against both Part L and AONB-specific policy.

EPC ratings: A (92+), B (81-91), C (69-80). Most Gloucestershire new builds need a B or higher; AONB and conservation areas often need A.

Our SAP process

How we deliver SAP and EPC across Gloucestershire.

SAP is desk-based, so location within Gloucestershire makes no difference to turnaround. From a complete information pack to issued documentation in 3-5 working days.

Information pack & quote

Send us drawings, U-values, and a basic specification. We confirm scope, fee, and turnaround within one working day. The more complete your pack, the faster the model.

Design Stage SAP modelling

We build the dwelling in Elmhurst Design SAP, run the calculation, and check DER ≤ TER against Part L 2021 and any applicable Gloucestershire LPA policy or AONB requirement. If the spec fails, we model lowest-cost compliance routes before issuing.

Design Stage report issued

You receive a Design Stage SAP report and Predicted Energy Assessment ready for planning or Building Control submission, with all assumptions clearly listed for the contractor to follow on site.

As-Built SAP & EPC

After the air test, we update the model with as-built figures and issue the As-Built SAP plus the lodged EPC certificate required by Gloucestershire Building Control teams.

Preparation

What we need from you to start your SAP.

The quality of your information pack drives the speed and accuracy of the SAP model. A complete pack — drawings, U-values, glazing schedule, heating and ventilation strategy — lets us turn the calculation around inside our 3-5 day window with no follow-up queries.

If you only have part of the picture, send what you have. We will work from sensible assumptions and flag them clearly so the contractor or design team can confirm or substitute later. This is a common starting point for early-stage planning submissions where the build-up isn't yet finalised.

Gloucestershire planning often requires Design Stage SAP at submission — especially for major schemes under the Joint Core Strategy in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury, and for AONB-sensitive sites in Cotswold and Stroud. Where there is uncertainty, send us the case officer reference and we will tell you what level of SAP detail the LPA expects.

Information pack checklist

Architectural drawings Plans, sections, and elevations — PDF or DWG. Site plan helpful for orientation and overshading.

Construction U-values Wall, floor, roof, and party-wall build-ups. We can calculate U-values if you only have product information.

Window & door schedule Whole-window U-values, g-value, frame factor where known. Heritage glazing for AONB sites should be flagged.

Heating system Make and model of boiler, heat pump, or other primary heat source — plus controls and hot water cylinder details.

Ventilation strategy Natural with intermittent extract, dMEV, MVHR, or MEV. MVHR datasheet if known — required for Part F input.

Renewables Any PV, solar thermal, or battery storage — size in kWp and orientation. We can model PV-free routes for AONB sites.

Districts we cover

SAP delivery across all six Gloucestershire planning authorities.

Local knowledge of each Gloucestershire LPA's Local Plan policies, sustainability requirements, and planning condition templates.

Cheltenham Borough Council

Cheltenham town centre, Pittville, Charlton Kings, Leckhampton. Joint Core Strategy housing targets and Net Zero commitments.

Gloucester City Council

Gloucester city centre, Tuffley, Quedgeley, Hucclecote. Major regeneration sites and city-centre apartment schemes.

Stroud District Council

Stroud, Nailsworth, Dursley, Stonehouse. Stroud District Local Plan with strong sustainability requirements; significant AONB coverage.

Tewkesbury Borough Council

Tewkesbury, Bishop's Cleeve, Winchcombe. Joint Core Strategy housing growth.

Cotswold District Council

Cirencester, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Tetbury. Heritage-led design and Cotswold AONB sensitivities throughout.

Forest of Dean District Council

Coleford, Cinderford, Lydney. Allocations Plan housing pipeline.

SAP in other counties: Worcestershire, Birmingham & West Midlands, Bristol & Somerset, Warwickshire

FAQ

Common questions about SAP calculations in Gloucestershire.

Build Envelope is based in Worcester — under 45 minutes from Cheltenham via the M5 — so there are no additional travel charges across Gloucestershire.

Larger schemes and multi-unit developments are quoted based on dwelling count, construction type, and complexity. AONB sites in Cotswold, Stroud, or Tewkesbury may need additional modelling for heritage-appropriate specifications — we'll quote that scope upfront.

Standard turnaround is 3-5 working days from receipt of a complete information pack. SAP is desk-based, so we can process work for any Gloucestershire project from our Worcester base without site attendance.

For urgent submissions — for example to meet a Joint Core Strategy planning deadline in Cheltenham, Gloucester or Tewkesbury — we routinely accommodate faster turnarounds. Tell us your deadline and we'll confirm what is achievable.

For major residential schemes under the Joint Core Strategy (Cheltenham, Gloucester, Tewkesbury), Design Stage SAP is typically required as part of the planning submission, alongside an energy statement. Cotswold and Stroud have similar expectations for sites in the Cotswold AONB and for any application engaging local sustainability policies.

Forest of Dean Allocations Plan sites and minor applications more often require SAP at Building Regulations stage only — but we recommend checking with the case officer early. Send us the planning reference and we'll tell you what level of detail the LPA expects.

If the model does not achieve DER ≤ TER, we identify the lowest-cost specification changes that bring the dwelling into compliance. Typical levers are improved fabric U-values, better glazing, MVHR, or PV.

Inside the Cotswold AONB and other heritage settings — common in Cotswold and Stroud — visible PV is often unacceptable to planners, so we usually pivot to heat pumps and enhanced fabric performance instead. We model two or three options so you can pick the one that suits the project.

Yes. We work across all six Gloucestershire LPAs: Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council, Stroud District Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, Cotswold District Council, and Forest of Dean District Council. Because SAP is desk-based, location within the county makes no difference to turnaround or fees.

Yes — these are a frequent project type for us. We deliver SAP for barn conversions and other material changes of use to dwellings, and for over-glazed extensions where SAP is triggered.

AONB-appropriate specifications (heritage-sympathetic windows, lime-based fabric, restricted external plant) are modelled correctly so the result reflects what is actually being built and approved by the case officer.

Yes. Alongside SAP and EPCs we deliver air tightness testing, ventilation flow rate testing, U-value calculations, PSI-value calculations, Part G water usage calculations, overheating (Part O) assessments, and full energy statements.

For Gloucestershire schemes we can package SAP, air testing, and ventilation testing together so design and as-built compliance is coordinated through one provider. Call us on 01386 365145 to discuss scope.

SAP Calculations & EPCsin Gloucestershire