This bulletin is a valuable source of regularly updated information about the Building Safety Act and its implications for you and your business. Please share this bulletin with colleagues who may find this information useful, they can subscribe here.
We've got a big year for safety ahead of us
As you know the Building Safety Act really started to pick up pace during 2023 and is now in full force with the Building Safety Regulator ramping up the pressure on the industry and building managers to make sure they comply.
Several of BESA's offerings play a crucial role in equipping members with the necessary resources to navigate the evolving building safety regulations. This includes support from our technical, legal, and commercial departments, the BESA Academy, SKILLcard, REFCOM, BESCA Competent Person Scheme, and our technical publications that establish industry standards, serving as benchmarks for regulatory compliance enforcement by the Building Safety Regulator.
Building control will be a regulated profession from 1 April and building inspectors will need to be certified by one of the approved schemes and registered with the Building Safety Regulator in order to work. The Building Safety Regulator has also updated its monitoring arrangements that support the Operational Standards Rules (OSRs) governing the building control profession.
You can now self-serve changes to already submitted applications in the registration portal.
If you’ve already applied to register a high-rise residential building (HRB) and need to amend the registration or key buildings information you have provided, you can now do this directly in the registration portal. View the guidance.
Golden Thread
The last component of secondary legislation within the Building Safety Act, encompassing the regulations that describes the criteria for the Golden Thread, is anticipated to be enacted soon. BESA will collaborate with stakeholders to disseminate guidance on this matter.
Grenfell Tower Inquiry – Phase 2 report
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has delayed publication of its Phase 2 report due to the lengthy process of writing to those who may be subject to criticism within it and reviewing their responses. As it stands, the Inquiry Panel is hoping to send the report to the Prime Minister ahead of the next anniversary of the fire in June.
National Planning Fee Increase
Increase planning application fees came into force from the 6th December. Members are advised to budget for an increase of 35% for applications on major developments and 25% for all other applications. Find out more here
The descriptions and documents included set out technical proposals for changes to the Building Regulations, the associated Approved Document, Part L, F and O and guidance and calculation methods.
The consultation period closes on 6 March 2024.
Code for Construction Product Information
Leading contractors, developers and housebuilders have stepped up to support the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and signed a pledge to work with their strategic suppliers and manufacturers to drive CCPI conformance and raise standards in the industry. Read more
Devolved Nations
Scotland ‐ The Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill will give Scottish Ministers powers to assess and remediate unsafe cladding on certain types of buildings, as well as set up a responsible developers scheme.
Wales ‐ The Welsh Government announced Mark Tambini had joined Welsh Government Building Regulations Team as Head of Building Regulations Policy.
The Government has recently responded to the consultation on the Higher-Risk Building (HRB) definition, confirming that in Wales, an HRB is a building over 18 meters or more than seven storeys with a single residential unit (as opposed to two or more in England). Additionally, various standards, codes, and rules for the new building control system in Wales, starting in April 2024, have been published. Wales is the first UK nation to establish a remediation pathway for all buildings over 11 meters facing fire safety issues.
Northern Ireland‐ The Northern Irish Department for Communities has formed an agreement with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) which will allow buildings over 11 metres in Northern Ireland with unsafe cladding to apply for funding from the Cladding Safety Scheme in England.
Building Safety Act Courses
CIOB – Building Safety Act: Awareness
The £25, 90-minute online course is structured around four key areas, including an introduction to the Building Safety Act 2022, Building Safety Act legislation, roles and scope, and the ‘golden thread’
CITB offers a free online course on Fire Safety in Buildings. This e-learning program is designed to educate individuals engaged in the construction and maintenance of buildings, emphasising the importance of proper compartmentation and the consequences of compromising, or tampering with fire protection measures.
The Hub is home to everything you and your organisation needs to be informed about building safety. Regularly updated, the Hub can provide you with reassurance and confidence when dealing with building safety.