Building Safety Regulator becomes standalone body in “landmark step”

The Building Safety Regulator’s move from the Health and Safety Executive to its new status as an arm’s-length body operating under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government represents a “significant moment” for the built environment.  

Originally established back in 2021 in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Building Safety Regulator’s full powers came into force under the Building Safety Act 2022. Having gained from the expertise of the Health and Safety Executive to set itself up and establish the foundations required for a new regulator, the Building Safety Regulator’s transition signals a renewed commitment to putting residents at the heart of everything it does.

As a new organisation, the Building Safety Regulator will work towards establishing a single regulator by promoting competence and higher standards. It will drive the vital culture change required by everyone working in the built environment in order to support the Government’s ambition of building more safe homes and, in parallel, remediating those which are unsafe.

The move to standalone status is underpinned by a significant ‘operational reset’ in the Building Safety Regulator’s role as the Building Control authority for higher-risk buildings.

Following the introduction of its Innovation Unit and new efficiency measures, the Building Safety Regulator’s operational delivery is fast improving. This progress demonstrates a commitment to combine regulatory experience with industry knowledge to target guidance and education where it’s most needed.

Creating coherence

Lord Andy Roe KFSM, chair of the Building Safety Regulator, commented: “This is a decisive and important step forward in strengthening building safety and a milestone that marks our evolution into a standalone regulator. While the creation of the Building Safety Regulator in 2021 was indeed a watershed moment, we now look forward to a single construction regulator that brings coherence to a once-fragmented system.”

Lord Roe continued: “We will know we are successful when residents acknowledge that we’ve made the built environment safer. It’s about continuing to support homes being built safely.”

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO of the Building Safety Regulator, stated: “The announcement marks a significant new chapter for the Building Safety Regulator, with a clear signal that, while we must continue to focus on improving our operational delivery for both new build homes and occupied HRBs, our mandate extends far beyond high-rise oversight to a broader responsibility for safety and standards across buildings in England.”  

Pugsley affirmed: “By driving professional competence and refining regulatory guidance, we can ensure an holistic approach that spans from initial design all the way through to lifelong building management.”

He concluded: “Our commitment to robust enforcement and cultural transformation serves a single and vital purpose in 2026 and beyond. That of restoring residents’ confidence and trust in the built environment.”

Lasting change

Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon observed: “Everyone deserves to live in a safe home and we’re determined to deliver lasting change to make this a reality. The Building Safety Regulator sits at the heart of this mission. Launching the new standalone body is an important step in realising sector-wide reform. I look forward to working with the new leadership team on our journey towards the establishment of the single construction regulator.”

Mark Reynolds, executive chair of the Mace Group and chair of the Construction Leadership Council, said: “Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen a very tangible shift in terms of how the Building Safety Regulator has worked with the Construction Leadership Council and developers across the country. The end result has been a more effective process that enables safer buildings to be commissioned and delivered on a faster basis.”

Reynolds continued: “The UK needs confidence that the construction industry, the regulator and Government are all working together to deliver new and safe housing at scale. I believe this moment marks a major step forward on that journey. As an independent body and working under the leadership of Andy and Charlie, I’ve no doubt that we’ll see more positive progress during 2026.”

Industry reaction

Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at the Building Cost Information Service, informed Fire Safety Matters: “Data published by the Building Safety Regulator in the past few months has spoken for itself. While more Building Control approval decisions are being made thanks to the new Innovation Unit, the speed of decision-making, and specifically so for remediation applications, must improve.”

Crosthwaite continued: “Establishing the Building Safety Regulator as an independent organisation is certainly an important step toward, unifying and simplifying how construction is regulated. It shows the industry is being listened to in the same way that the Building Safety Regulator’s process adaptations did last year.”

In addition, and following on from that last point, Crosthwaite explained: “That said, the Building Safety Regulator cannot afford to take its foot off the gas. Its new caseload is growing. Construction’s residential market in particular would benefit from a slicker regulatory system sooner rather than later.”

Finally, Crosthwaite asserted: “Both private and public sector housing output has slowed. Fewer approval hold-ups would go a long way towards speeding up project starts and the economic value they can deliver.”