Main Contractor
The builder appointed to deliver a project - named on the statutory commencement register - and the party that buys the trade packages and materials.
The main contractor is the company engaged by the client to build the works. On most projects they do not self-perform everything; they buy in trade packages - groundworks, structure, M&E, finishes - and the materials to go with them. When a commencement notice is filed on the Building Control Management System, the main contractor is frequently named, making it a public, organisation-level fact.
The main contractor is the actual buyer for subcontractors and suppliers. Knowing who has been appointed - and what else they are building - tells you exactly who to call and how much work is in their pipeline.
PlanningLeads reads the appointed builder from the statutory commencement register and attaches it to the lead as an organisation-level fact, including a count of that contractor's other live sites.
Common questions
From the commencement notice on the Building Control Management System (BCMS), where the appointed builder is frequently named - a public, organisation-level record.
Not always - it is present when a contractor has been appointed and named on the register. Early-stage applications usually have no contractor yet.
Because they buy the trade packages and materials - they are the buyer you actually need to reach.
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Planning rules carry conditions and exceptions - always verify a specific case against the official source or a planning professional before acting.