Queen’s Speech sets out planned regulatory regime for building safety
Plans to introduce new regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products have been set out by the government in the Queen’s Speech.
Those responsible for the safety of high-rise buildings would be made more accountable, with stronger duties and competence requirements imposed. Aims include developing a new system for oversight of the whole built environment, with local enforcement agencies and national regulators working together to ensure that the safety of all buildings is improved. All developers of new build homes would have to belong to a New Homes Ombudsman scheme.
The legislation would aim to use the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire to bring about a fundamental change in the regulatory framework for high-rise residential buildings and in industry culture to ensure accountability and responsibility.
One of the main elements of the proposed legislation is a new safety framework for high-rise residential buildings, taking forward the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building safety. In some cases, it would go further. There would be providing clearer accountability for, and stronger duties on, those responsible for the safety of high-rise buildings throughout the building’s design, construction and occupation, with clear competence requirements to ensure high standards are upheld.
There would be a strengthening of enforcement and sanctions to deter non-compliance with the new regime in order to hold the right people to account when mistakes are made and ensure they are not repeated.
The government also wants to developing a new framework to provide national oversight of construction products, to ensure all products meet high performance standards. This aspect of the legislation would have UK-wide scope, although other provisions would in the main apply to England only.
The plans also involve giving residents a stronger voice in the system, ensuring their concerns are never ignored and they fully understand how they can contribute to maintaining safety in their buildings.
Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review found that that the current regulatory system is not fit for purpose in relation to high-rise and complex buildings. The government said that it is taking forward all 53 of Dame Judith’s recommendations and in some areas going further. It estimates that the new regime will apply to over 11,000 high rise buildings, rising to almost 15,000 buildings within 10 years.
Source: Construction Index