Significant Building Safety Regulator reforms announced by Government

These reforms – including a new fast track process, changes to leadership and fresh investment – aim to support the delivery of 1.5 million safe and high-quality homes, while also taking the early steps towards establishing a single construction regulator (one of the key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry).

Andy Roe KFSM has been appointed non-executive chair of a new Board of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to take on the functions of the Building Safety Regulator.

Roe brings a wealth of experience in safety regulation and leadership from his previous role as Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade and, going forward, will be supported by a new CEO for the Building Safety Regulator (namely Charlie Pugsley).

Creating a workable system

Alex Norris, the Minister for Building and Fire Safety, said: “The establishment of the Building Safety Regulator has been fundamental to centralising safety in the construction process. It’s now time to take the next steps to build on that precedent and create a system that works for the sector, while always keeping residents and their safety at the heart of the process.”   

Norris continued: “That’s why we’re announcing a package of reforms for the Building Safety Regulator designed to enhance operations, reduce delays and unlock the homes this country desperately needs, in turn delivering on our ‘Plan for Change’.”

This new organisational structure for the Building Safety Regulator reflects the Government’s commitment to prioritising building safety in its drive to construct 1.5 million new homes. It builds on the strong foundations created by the Health and Safety Executive in establishing the Building Safety Regulator, which has played a pivotal role in raising safety standards.

To support industry in achieving the Government’s ambitious housebuilding targets, the Building Safety Regulator is also introducing a new fast track process. which will bring building inspector and engineer capacity directly into the Building Safety Regulator to enhance the processing and review of existing new-build cases and remediation decisions. This will respond to concerns in the sector around delays, while crucially keeping building and residents’ safety at the core of the process.  

Alongside these improvements, long-term investment in the capacity of the Building Safety Regulator is being bolstered with the addition of over 100 new members of staff who’ll add support when it comes to enhancing operations, reducing delays and emboldening progress.

Watershed moment     

Andy Roe KFSM commented: “The creation of the new Building Safety Regulator represented a watershed moment for housing and construction in this country. However, it’s also clear that the Building Safety Regulator’s processes need to continue to evolve and improve in order to ensure that it plays its part in enabling the homes this country desperately needs to be built.”   

Roe concluded: “I look forward to working with colleagues both in industry and at the Building Safety Regulator to tackle the current issues and delays head on and help to ensure those homes are constructed safely.”

Sarah Newton, chair of the Health and Safety Executive, explained: “Setting up an entirely new regulator has been a complex procedure, but huge progress has been made in a short space of time. Protecting residents and making sure there is never another tragedy like Grenfell Tower has been our foremost priority throughout this process. We wish the new Building Safety Regulator team well in this most important mission.”  

Newton added: “We’re very proud of the work we’ve done to establish the Building Safety Regulator. It was always an option that, once the new regulator was up-and-running, it would then move out of the Health and Safety Executive to enable the Government to implement the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry Panel’s recommendations. We will work diligently to enable the smooth transition to the next stage.”