BSR gateway 2 approvals rise to 71%

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementConstructionFeatured NewsFire EngineeringHealth and SafetyInspection

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) made 323 gateway 2 decisions in the 12 weeks to 1 May 2026, with 71% of applications approved, according to its latest building control update.

Of all decisions made during the period, 62% related to London projects.

Applications covering 17,046 residential units were determined during the 12-week period, including approvals for 12,299 housing units. BSR said 36,984 units remain in live cases.

The regulator also reported receiving new applications covering up to 17,626 residential units over the same period.

BSR’s Innovation Unit, which manages more complex higher-risk building applications, made 33 decisions in the 12 weeks to 1 May, approving 24 applications, equivalent to a 73% approval rate.

Fourteen of those approvals were for London projects. BSR said all 14 Innovation Unit decisions in London during the period were approved.

The regulator said all-time Innovation Unit approvals now total 33, with a median approval time of 22 weeks. The unit is currently handling 143 live applications representing 27,900 residential units.

Gateway 2 approvals continue to rise

BSR also published updated figures on remediation applications. The number of legacy remediation cases submitted in 2024 has fallen to 20, down from 42 at the start of 2026, with a further 12 applications expected to be determined by mid-May.

The regulator said remediation approval rates are nearing its 2026 target of 65%.

Under BSR’s batching process, where applications are grouped for external assessment, the median time from a case being issued to a supplier to a full assessment being returned was four weeks across new build, remediation and refurbishment categories.

The regulator said 254 new build cases, 408 remediation cases and 758 refurbishment cases have been issued through batching so far.

Median times from issue to supplier through to decision were nine weeks for new build cases, 10 weeks for remediation cases and 11 weeks for refurbishment cases.

BSR said the number of long-term legacy cases has been reduced to eight, which are being managed separately as complex cases.

Transitional cases have risen to 43 after BSR took over higher-risk building projects previously managed by Assent Building Control following the company’s closure in November 2025.

Charlie Pugsley, acting chief executive officer of BSR, said the regulator was continuing to process new build and remediation applications while maintaining building safety requirements.

Strengthening competence: How BSI Competence Hub supports Building Safety Act compliance

by Breaking NewsConstructionHealth and SafetySafety

Ian Richardson, Sector Lead at BSI, introduces the BSI Built Environment Competence Hub

Competence has quite rightly become a defining issue for the built environment sector following the Building Safety Act 2022 and tightening regulatory expectations.

Professionals across fire safety, construction, building control and facilities management are now required to demonstrate clearer accountability, stronger oversight and more consistent decision-making.

However, competence guidance has often remained fragmented, making it difficult to interpret requirements and apply them in practice.

In response to these challenges, BSI has launched the Built Environment Competence Hub, a national digital platform designed to bring together standards, competence frameworks, regulatory guidance and industry insight.

Developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), the Hub aims to support clearer understanding, practical implementation and ongoing professional development across the building lifecycle.

Why competence needed a central focus

The renewed emphasis on competence stems directly from the regulatory reforms that followed the Grenfell Tower fire and the subsequent Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

The Building Safety Act 2022 and the establishment of the BSR placed statutory weight behind competence requirements for duty holder roles and those responsible for managing safety throughout a building’s lifecycle.

These reforms have been underpinned by a suite of new and emerging standards, including the BS 8670 series and PAS 8671, PAS 8672, PAS 8673 and BS 8674.

Together, these documents define core competence criteria and role-specific expectations for principal designers, principal contractors and those managing residential building safety.

While these developments have strengthened the regulatory framework, they have also created a complex and fast-moving landscape.

Competence materials have been distributed across multiple organisations, websites and professional bodies.

The worry is that for many professionals and organisations, identifying which standards apply to which roles, and how to evidence compliance, is an increasingly burdensome task.

Industry has also been moving towards more consistent, cross-disciplinary competence criteria.

The adoption of Competence frameworks for building safety – Core criteria.

Code of practice (BS 8670-1), which sets out core competence criteria based on skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEB), alongside role-specific documents, has highlighted the need for alignment across disciplines.

This shift reinforces the value for a single, authoritative reference point.

Introducing the Built Environment Competence Hub

The Built Environment Competence Hub has been created to meet that need.

Quite simply, it is designed to be a national digital repository and central point of reference for competence-related information.

It consolidates standards, competence frameworks, regulatory guidance, webinar recordings, articles and discussion forums within one accessible platform.

The Hub is free to professionals, organisations and stakeholders across the sector, including designers, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, building owners and managers, those undertaking duty holder roles, professional bodies, training providers and regulators.

Addressing fragmentation and inconsistency

BSI decided to develop the hub following frequent reports from professionals that competence information was fragmented and difficult to navigate.

They were finding guidance and frameworks inconsistent across roles and disciplines, with resources spread across numerous platforms.

This created uncertainty and, in some cases, inconsistent interpretation of legal duties.

This is not just inefficient, but ultimately risks undermining the good work being done to support building safety in the last near-decade.

For organisations, the challenge extended beyond understanding requirements.

Demonstrating competence through documented processes, training plans and audit trails requires significant time and effort to gather and interpret information from multiple sources.

The Hub addresses these issues by consolidating key resources and signposting authoritative documents within five thematic areas.

It aligns standards, ICSG-led frameworks and regulatory information according to role, duty holder expectation and lifecycle stage.

By doing so, it reduces duplication, minimises conflicting interpretations and establishes a common reference point for project teams and organisations.

Promoting consistency across the building lifecycle

A defining feature of the Hub is its lifecycle perspective.

By organising resources by role, lifecycle stage and topic, and by signposting both core and role-specific competence criteria, it aims to promote a shared vocabulary and threshold expectations from concept and design through construction, commissioning, handover and in-use management, and ultimately to refurbishment or deconstruction.

This cross-referencing is also designed to reduce divergence between teams and support continuity of competence at interfaces and regulatory gateways.

In a sector where safety depends on coordinated action across disciplines, such alignment is critical.

Supporting day-to-day professional practice

The Hub is designed to support day-to-day work.

Organisations can use it to identify applicable role and function requirements, such as PAS 8671 for Principal Designers, PAS 8672 for Principal Contractors and PAS 8673 for those managing residential building safety.

Through clear signposting, our hope is that it will help organisations align policies, role profiles and training plans with national standards.

It is intended to support the operationalisation of competence by linking duties to SKEB criteria and encouraging structured evidence capture.

This strengthens due diligence processes, supports audit readiness and reinforces accountable appointments and oversight.

The platform also provides updates on regulatory developments and emerging good practice.

This will help inform decisions at key gateways, during design changes, procurement stages and in-occupation risk management.

Beyond its repository function, the hope is for the Hub to serve as a collaborative space, where members can engage with peers, share lessons learned from real projects, discuss areas of uncertainty and contribute to informed debate.

This community element reflects the fact that competence development is not static, but an ongoing, shared responsibility.

A living resource for a changing landscape

The regulatory and standards landscape will continue to evolve.

New documents will be developed, existing standards will be revised and expectations will mature as further lessons are learned.

The Built Environment Competence Hub has therefore been designed as a “living resource”.

Users are encouraged to register, contribute content and participate in events.

Feedback from industry will inform future updates, ensuring the platform remains aligned with BSR expectations and emerging standards.

Ultimately, this reflects a broader shift: from reactive compliance towards proactive competence management and continuous improvement.

Raising confidence and improving safety outcomes

As the built environment sector adapts to a new regulatory era, clarity and consistency around competence are essential.

Through the Hub, BSI, working alongside ICSG and the Building Safety Regulator, aims to provide the infrastructure to support that change.

Success will be measured by this work’s impact on professional confidence and, ultimately, in the safety of buildings.

By replacing fragmented sources with a single, trusted reference point, the aim is to reduce uncertainty and variability in interpretation, and to support more consistent competence management across organisations and supply chains, strengthening the quality of appointments, supervision and assurance.

In doing so, it will contribute to the wider objectives of the Building Safety Act 2022: improving accountability, restoring trust and delivering safer buildings.

This was originally published in the April 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

The psychological barrier: PlanRadar says digital fear is delaying UK construction projects

by Breaking NewsConstructionSafety

Rob Norton, UK Director at PlanRadar, explains how BSR’s new enforcement powers raise expectations for digital evidence across Gateways 2 and 3

On 28th January 2026, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) gained full independence and enforcement powers.

For the first time, the regulator can reject Gateway applications without appeal.

This is an urgent wake-up call for an industry that must now demonstrate digital competence at every stage.

For developers currently stalled at Gateways 2 and 3, this development could hardly be more urgent.

The era of the ring-binder is over.

The newly empowered regulator will no longer accept inadequate proof of safety; blurred photographs, missing signatures or incomplete fire safety records won’t satisfy compliance requirements.

But whilst BSR’s independence represents the final nail in the coffin for paper-based compliance, a surprisingly human barrier prevents the workforce from embracing the digital tools that would clear the Gateway 2 and 3 backlogs.

The deeper problem: the psychology of “digital shame”

Despite the regulatory shift, the construction sector remains trapped by what I call “digital shame”.

This is the fear of being permanently exposed by systems that record every mistake.

When portions of workers believe digital platforms exist to catch them out instead of supporting them, a massive disconnect emerges between prescribed processes for regulatory reporting and actual on-site reality.

This “psychological resistance” is expressed in several ways.

Site teams often revert to analogue habits, treating paper records as a safety net to hide errors.

For example, site managers will photograph fire door installations on their personal phones, storing images locally because they’re worried about uploading incomplete work to the official system.

The irony is acute; the evidence exists, but fear keeps safety observations inside notebooks instead of being entered in the Golden Thread.

The result is a workforce working in parallel to the very systems designed to protect them and the buildings they construct.

The consequence: the gateway crisis

The gateway crisis currently stalling UK construction stems directly from this mental disconnect.

The challenge centres on the lack of quality, tamper-proof evidence required to satisfy Gateways 2 and 3.

Without a robust Golden Thread of digital information, developers are playing Russian Roulette with their completion certificates.

Consider the practical reality: BSR requires comprehensive proof that fire stopping has been correctly installed throughout a 20-storey development.

Fragmented records spread across six different subcontractors, 18 months of work, thousands of installations, well-thumbed notebooks, spreadsheets, and email chains fail to provide a proper audit trail.

The project stalls.

The regulator’s independence means higher standards, but “digital shame” stops teams from creating the evidence trail that would provide assurance and demonstrate compliance.

This absence of complete digital documentation has become the biggest obstacle preventing projects from progressing through the Gateway process.

Strategic solutions: building “psychological safety”   

The answer lies in building psychological safety to encourage voluntary adoption of digital tools.

This requires three practical steps.

First, iterative transparency.

We must use data.

Site teams need to see that digital records can identify issues.

When the first use prevents the first problem, adoption follows naturally.

It must not be about punishment.

Second, frictionless compliance.

Digital workflows must be designed so that doing it right becomes the path of least resistance for site teams.

When capturing a fire door inspection on a mobile device takes less time than filling out a paper form, compliance becomes effortless.

Third, cultural de-stigmatisation.

We must reframe digital tools as a shield for the worker.

A digital record protects the individual contractor who has completed their work correctly.

It provides defensible proof of competence.

The way ahead

The construction sector must stop treating digital tools as extras bolted onto traditional processes.

BSR’s standalone status makes this absolutely clear: the record-keeping standards of the ‘80s cannot satisfy the safety requirements of the 2020s.

The newly empowered regulator will enforce higher standards.

The only realistic response is to embrace digital competence.

This means investing in platforms that capture quality evidence at source, building workflows that make compliance intuitive and fostering a culture where transparent data protects everyone involved.

Digital data forms the Golden Thread that protects the project and the person.

For fire safety consultants and principal contractors, the choice is binary.

Lead the cultural shift towards psychological safety, or fail to act and watch Gateway backlogs extend completion dates by months, while more efficient competitors secure their certificates.

The opportunity window is the 2026 calendar year.

After that, you’re playing catch-up.

This was originally published in the April 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

England remediation plan targets faster higher-risk building safety works

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Remediation plan targets faster decisions

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has introduced an external remediation improvement plan to reduce delays to higher-risk building safety works across England.

BSR said the plan includes a dedicated external remediation multidisciplinary team, lower average caseloads for regulatory leads and wider use of approval with requirements where appropriate.

The regulator said it will recruit more staff to reduce individual caseloads from an average of 25 to around 10.

The new multidisciplinary team will be supported by external remediation account managers handling applicant communications and portfolio concerns.

BSR also plans to pilot the use of building control professionals from different classes to support case officers and regulatory leads.

A new consistency process will be introduced to resolve technical disputes more quickly.

The regulator is also moving towards more direct engagement with applicants, including initial meetings for more complex projects.

BSR said it will publish a clear external remediation prioritisation structure and is working on digital visibility changes so applicants can track progress after submission.

Older cases and application quality

BSR said around 40% of ongoing external remediation applications rely on government funding, and many older complex cases are taking longer to reach decisions.

The regulator said internal resource constraints and a high volume of older non-compliant industry submissions are driving the current caseload.

Incomplete applications are delaying decisions where required technical information or legal documentation is missing.

Examples include limited evidence of fire-resistant properties for replacement cladding and related materials, missing structural loading calculations and incomplete demonstration of thermal performance.

Delays are also linked to incomplete design information, unsupported non-worsening claims and poorly organised documents.

Ambiguity over retained combustibles is also described as a frequent cause of failure.

BSR said it has published initial guidance for external remediation work on existing higher-risk buildings and will issue more feedback, resources and support in the coming months.

The regulator is also planning better data sharing with organisations managing government funds, including Homes England.

By December 2026, BSR is aiming to reduce average decision times for remediation applications to less than 12 weeks and achieve approval rates above 65%.

Lord Roe, BSR Board Chair, said: “We continue to accelerate our decision-making for new build applications, speeding up approvals for new build and external remediation projects and increasing the supply of safe new and existing homes through the recent changes we have made to our processes.

“We recognise current determination times for remediation cases are falling short of statutory targets.

“This plan represents a targeted and achievable package of measures to reset the system and clear older legacy remediation cases.

“By doing so and then focussing on more recent applications, we can ensure high-rise residents see essential safety improvements they deserve without unnecessary or further delays.”

Charlie Pugsley, Acting CEO of BSR, added: “As we enter an important new chapter as a standalone regulator, our focus is on strengthening safety, rebuilding trust and supportively collaborating with industry.

“Collectively these measures will ensure current and future remediation applications can proceed as smoothly and quickly as possible.

“By launching a dedicated multidisciplinary team and introducing account managers, we are dramatically increasing our capacity to make faster decisions.

“Speed cannot come at the cost of safety.

“We will also publish further specific guidance and support to help industry submit higher-quality applications, ensuring thousands of residents can feel safe, and are safe in their high-rise homes.”

Fire Aware backs BSR drive to raise competence across fire safety

by Featured NewsHealth and SafetySafety

BSR and Fire Aware’s position

Fire Aware has announced support for the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) as part of its campaign for cultural change across the fire safety industry.

The position was set out in a Fire Aware statement on its work with the regulator.

The organisation noted that the BSR became a formal standalone arm’s length body in January, operating under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government after transferring from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Fire Aware added that it is advising member organisations across multiple sectors on engagement with the regulator.

Gavin Skelly said: “We fully endorse the move towards cultural change.

“We must remember – those who hold a duty of care at all levels are working in a vocation, and not just a job.

“We are working with our members to improve the standards of our buildings old and new and to improve the competence of those working within them who hold a duty of care.

“The essence of the BSR’s aims are aligned with our own.

“Fire Aware would support this requirement and direct any of its members involved in the Gateway system to help the regulator achieve its goal, similar to that of Fire Aware’s mission, to primarily uphold public safety.”

Skelly also commented that all parts of the supply chain across multiple sectors should adopt the same vocational approach to duty of care.

Charters and duty of care

Fire Aware described its campaign as focusing on the moral responsibility of those working in the fire safety supply chain, including designers, developers, asset owners, managers and other stakeholders.

The body said it intends to introduce a moral code of conduct through a series of charters aimed at shaping how member companies behave when upholding their duty of care.

Fire Aware characterised itself as a recognised membership body serving the built environment and related sectors with a shared aim to work and trade responsibly to best practice standards in the interests of public safety.

The organisation’s stance links its internal charter programme with the regulator’s expectations for those submitting safety cases to the BSR.

Building Safety Regulator becomes standalone body in Gateway 2 reform milestone

by ConstructionFeatured NewsHealth and SafetySafety

Gateway 2 framework and transition to standalone status

The Building Safety Regulator officially became a standalone organisation on 27 January 2026, marking a structural shift in the delivery of Gateway 2 building control oversight.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), previously part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), transitioned to an arm’s-length public body under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, paving the way for the creation of a single construction regulator as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

The regulator was established in 2021 following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, with full statutory powers introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The move formalises a broader mandate that extends beyond high-rise buildings to include responsibility for safety standards across all buildings in England.

The transition follows what BSR described as an operational reset in its role as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings, supported by the introduction of its Innovation Unit and new efficiency measures.

These changes were positioned as part of efforts to improve operational delivery, target regulatory guidance and support competence development across the construction sector.

Regulatory mission, leadership and sector response

Lord Roe, Chair of BSR, said: “Today is a decisive and important step in strengthening building safety and a milestone that marks our evolution into a standalone regulator.

“While the creation of BSR in 2021 was a watershed moment, today is about looking forward to a single construction regulator that brings coherence to a once-fragmented system.

“We will know we are successful when residents acknowledge we have made the built environment safer.

“Today is about continuing to support homes being built safely while fulfilling our primary mission: ensuring we are all building better and living safer, together.”

Charlie Pugsley, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BSR, said: “Today is a significant new chapter for BSR, 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.

“By driving professional competence and refining regulatory guidance, we can ensure a holistic approach that spans from initial design through to lifelong building management.

“Our commitment to robust enforcement and cultural transformation serves a single, vital purpose in 2026 and beyond – restoring resident confidence and trust in the built environment.”

Samantha Dixon, Building Safety Minister, said: “Everyone deserves to live in a safe home and we are determined to deliver lasting change to make this a reality.

“The Building Safety Regulator sits at the heart of this mission, and today launching a new 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 Single Construction Regulator.”

Mark Reynolds, Executive Chair of Mace Group and Chair of the Construction Leadership Council, said: “Over the last twelve months we’ve seen a very tangible shift in how BSR has worked with the Construction Leadership Council and developers across the country, and the result has been a more effective process, enabling safer buildings to be commissioned and delivered faster.

“The UK needs confidence that the construction industry, the regulator and government are all working together to deliver new and safe housing at scale – and I believe this moment marks a major step forward on that journey.

“As an independent body and working under the leadership of Charlie and Andy I have no doubt we’ll see more positive progress during 2026.”

The transition formalises BSR’s independence and establishes its governance framework as the regulator works toward the development of a single construction regulator model.

Regulatory role and standalone status

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outlined the regulatory framework and operational changes following the transition to standalone status.

The HSE described the Building Safety Regulator as the national regulator responsible for improving the safety and standards of all buildings in England, established in 2021 following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, with full statutory powers introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022.

From 27 January 2026, BSR operates as a stand-alone executive non-departmental public body sponsored by MHCLG, with governance and accountability formalised while day-to-day regulatory activity continues.

The framework includes responsibility for regulating higher-risk residential buildings over 18 metres or seven storeys across design, construction and occupation through a three-stage gateway approval process.

BSR also acts as the building control authority for all higher-risk buildings, including hospitals and care homes, and oversees the performance of local authority and private sector building control bodies.

Charlie Pugsley, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Building Safety Regulator, said: “This month marks a significant new chapter for BSR as a standalone body, with the knowledge that our new processes are driving improvements – evidenced by the fact we recently made the most decisions in our operating history.

“We are determined to build on this momentum by launching a Remediation Improvement Plan to tackle complex remediation cases and streamline resources.

“We will also be engaging even more closely with applicants to help improve the quality of new build HRB applications.

“By driving these improvements, we can ensure we keep essential construction projects being built, while upholding the critical safety standards that protect residents in both new and existing homes.”

Gateway 2 decisions and application volumes

The Building Safety Regulator published new building control approval data covering November 2025 to January 2026.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) recorded 698 Gateway 2 decisions across all application types in the 12 weeks to 24 January 2026.

Live applications across all categories totalled 1,159.

The final quarter of 2025 recorded 673 decisions by 31 December, compared with just over 200 in early 2025.

Across all Gateway 2 categories, 68% of decisions related to London cases, totalling 476 decisions in the capital since November.

In the 12 weeks to 24 January, 97 Gateway 2 new build applications received decisions and 99 new build applications were submitted.

New build applications represented 19,600 residential units.

Decisions were issued for 19,914 units, including 11,962 approvals.

Live cases represented 37,065 residential units.

Legacy, remediation and Innovation Unit performance

The update set out volumes and decision outcomes for legacy applications, remediation cases and the BSR Innovation Unit alongside new build activity.

Since November, 52 decisions were made on outstanding legacy cases inherited under the previous model, with 29 in London.

The approval rate for historic applications viable to receive a decision reached 87%.

The remaining 29 complex legacy cases were under assessment to determine whether continued resources were warranted or whether rejection and resubmission would be required.

Since 3 November 2025, 75 remediation decisions were issued and 73 new remediation cases were received.

Live remediation cases totalled 286, representing 24,949 units.

A batching pilot delivered 12 decisions, with a Remediation Improvement Plan scheduled to launch in the coming weeks to address application quality and streamline internal resources.

In the past 12 weeks, the BSR Innovation Unit (IU) recorded 39 decisions, with 27 in London.

The IU managed 111 live new build applications representing 25,226 units, including 61 in the capital.

Of cases progressing beyond validation, 30% were approved and 41% were rejected.

Initial validation failure rates reached 56%, linked to missing basic design information.

Industry reaction on Gateway 2 evidence and digital records

Rob Norton, UK Director at PlanRadar, said: “The BSR becoming a standalone body corporate is the final nail in the coffin for ‘analogue’ site management.

“For years, the industry has treated documentation as a post-script, something to be tidied up at the end of a project.

“Those days are over.

“An independent regulator, equipped with its own board and a dedicated enforcement mandate, isn’t going to accept a ring-binder full of blurred photos and missing signatures as proof of safety.

“The real challenge for Gateway 2 and 3 isn’t the regulations themselves, it’s the evidence.

“We are currently seeing a massive disconnect between on-site reality and regulatory reporting, which is the single biggest factor behind the Gateway delays currently stalling UK construction.

“If the BSR is to succeed in clearing these backlogs as an independent entity, it requires high-quality, tamper-proof digital data.

“Without a robust ‘Golden Thread,’ developers are essentially playing Russian Roulette with their completion certificates.

“This independence should be a wake-up call.

“The BSR now has the autonomy to set a higher bar for digital competence.

“We can’t expect to build the next generation of high-rise homes using the record-keeping standards of the 1990s.

“It’s time for the industry to stop viewing digital tools as an ‘extra’ and start seeing them as the only way to stay on the right side of an empowered regulator.”

Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, said: “Data published by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) 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, specifically for remediation applications, must improve.

“Establishing the BSR 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 the BSR’s process adaptations did last year.

“That said, the BSR cannot afford to take its foot off the gas.

“Its new caseload is growing and construction’s residential market particularly would benefit from a slicker regulatory system sooner rather than later.

“Both private and public sector housing output has slowed and fewer approval holdups would go a long way to speed up project starts and the economic value they can deliver.”

Training launched to support resident directors in building safety roles

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsSafetyTraining

Free digital course available for RTM and RMC directors

The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) has announced a new free training programme aimed at improving building safety understanding among resident directors in England.

According to LEASE, the digital training was developed in collaboration with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to help directors of Right to Manage (RTM) and Resident Management Companies (RMCs) meet their legal duties under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The initiative is designed to help non-professionals understand their responsibilities for managing fire and structural risks in residential buildings over 18 metres in height.

LEASE stated that more than 3,500 RTMs, RMCs and Commonhold Associations operate across England, many of which rely on unpaid resident volunteers to manage safety obligations.

The training aims to simplify complex legal requirements, whether duties are undertaken directly or delegated, and equips directors to assess the quality of services they receive.

Legal context under the Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced new regulatory duties following the Grenfell Tower fire.

LEASE explained that individuals who manage buildings above 18 metres must now take on formal roles as Accountable Persons (APs) or Principal Accountable Persons (PAPs), even if operational tasks are outsourced.

The advisory body said that volunteer directors must remain legally responsible, regardless of whether external managing agents or third parties are involved.

The training addresses how to remain compliant within these roles and what directors should know when commissioning professional advice or services.

LEASE added that the training builds confidence in making informed decisions that affect safety and compliance.

Course structure and topics

LEASE said the training comprises four 30-minute eLearning modules.

Module 1 covers preparation for the new safety regime, including the Golden Thread requirement.

Module 2 addresses managing building safety risks and preparing the Safety Case Report.

Module 3 focuses on resident engagement, mandatory occurrence reporting, and complaint handling.

Module 4 outlines the Building Assessment Certificate process and regulatory interactions.

The course uses practical examples and plain language to make the regulatory framework easier to understand.

Applicability across the housing sector

LEASE stated that while the course is targeted at RTM and RMC directors, it is also relevant for others involved in managing residential buildings.

This includes freeholders, housing associations, local authorities, and professional building safety managers.

Managing agents and leaseholders are also encouraged to complete the training to better understand obligations and financial charges.

According to LEASE, the course aims to support everyone involved in building management, not just those with formal legal duties.

The organisation emphasised the importance of shared understanding across all stakeholders.

Joint statement from LEASE and the Building Safety Regulator

Ella Norman, Senior Legal Advisor at LEASE, said: “The new Building Safety eLearning programme fills a critical knowledge gap in building safety guidance.

“Many leaseholders that have volunteered, unpaid, to help manage their high-rise residential buildings often have limited formal training yet now carry significantly more legal responsibility.

“This training will ensure that residents involved in managing high-rise residential buildings have access to the knowledge they need to carry out their legal duties confidently and competently.

“In collaboration with the Building Safety Regulator, we created this free online course to empower and protect both residents and resident directors.”

Andy McGrory, Policy Lead for resident matters at the Building Safety Regulator, said: “We are delighted to have worked with LEASE to make this invaluable training openly available to the directors of thousands of high-rise Resident Management Companies.

“Their role is critical in upholding the highest standards of building safety for high-rise residents across England.

“This programme provides RMCs with the information needed to understand their responsibilities, to work towards implementing robust building safety measures, to be intelligent customers where they secure assistance from third-party providers and to ensure residents feel safe and are safe in their own homes.”

Resident directors, leaseholders and housing professionals can access the Building Safety eLearning via the LEASE website.

Building safety training launched for resident directors in England: Summary

LEASE and the Building Safety Regulator have released a free online training course.

The training targets directors of Right to Manage and Resident Management Companies in England.

It addresses legal duties introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022.

The course includes four interactive 30-minute modules.

Topics include risk management, resident engagement, and safety certification.

The course is also relevant for freeholders, housing associations, and managing agents.

The aim is to help directors understand their roles and legal responsibilities.

It uses clear language and real-life examples.

LEASE said over 3,500 such resident-led groups exist across England.

Ella Norman of LEASE said the training fills a gap in formal safety education.

Andy McGrory of BSR said the training supports consistent standards in high-rise buildings.

The Building Safety eLearning course is now publicly available.

House of Lords opens inquiry into Building Safety Regulator

by Breaking NewsSafety

Committee seeks evidence on building safety regulation

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into the performance of the Building Safety Regulator, according to the committee’s announcement on 20 June 2025.

The committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, said the inquiry will examine how effectively the regulator is operating since it was established under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was set up within the Health and Safety Executive. It is responsible for overseeing the safety of higher-risk residential buildings across England.

The inquiry will focus on whether the BSR has improved safety standards and how it is affecting the delivery of new homes, including possible delays in the approvals process.

The committee is seeking written submissions from stakeholders across the construction and housing sectors by 31 August 2025.

Review follows post-Grenfell building reforms

The inquiry follows changes introduced after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, which led to an independent review by Dame Judith Hackitt.

The review recommended a new regulatory framework for higher-risk buildings, which include those over 18 metres tall or with seven or more storeys containing at least two residential units.

The government accepted these recommendations, and the BSR was formally established in 2022 through the Building Safety Act.

The regulator oversees design and construction standards for higher-risk buildings. It does not directly approve construction of lower-risk buildings but regulates the inspectors and control bodies that do.

The committee’s inquiry will consider whether this system is effective and proportionate.

Industry concerns over delays and delivery

According to the House of Lords announcement, some housing sector stakeholders have raised concerns that the BSR’s approval process is contributing to delays in building new homes.

These concerns are particularly relevant to the government’s aim of delivering 1.5 million homes during the next Parliament.

The committee will examine to what extent the BSR’s regulatory framework affects housing delivery timelines.

It will also assess whether the regulator’s processes are sufficiently clear for developers and whether staffing levels support timely decisions.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton said: “The safety of residents in higher-risk buildings was at the heart of the Building Safety Regulator being set up in 2022.”

She added: “The Committee wants to hear from all stakeholders to find out if the BSR has the skills and resources required to ensure the safety of all buildings and its residents in the process of approving applications for high-rise buildings.”

She continued: “This is crucial if the Government is going to achieve its manifesto target of building 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament.”

Key questions for stakeholders to address

The committee is inviting written evidence from a range of stakeholders, including safety professionals, local authorities, architects, housing associations and resident groups.

It is seeking views on whether the BSR has made buildings safer and if its approach to regulation is appropriate.

Other areas of interest include the regulator’s role in multidisciplinary assessments and the clarity of its processes.

The committee is also asking how the BSR’s framework compares with building safety approaches in other countries.

Questions include whether its work aligns effectively with the regulation of construction products and whether its collaboration with building control authorities is functioning properly.

Inquiry timeline and expected outcomes

The committee will hold public evidence sessions between June and September 2025.

Written submissions must be submitted by 31 August 2025.

According to the committee, the aim is to present findings to the House of Lords in Autumn 2025.

The evidence gathered will be used to assess the current regulatory system and determine whether reforms are needed.

The inquiry forms part of broader parliamentary scrutiny of post-Grenfell safety measures.

House of Lords opens inquiry into Building Safety Regulator: Summary

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into the Building Safety Regulator.

The regulator was created by the Building Safety Act 2022 following the Grenfell Tower fire and Hackitt Review.

It is part of the Health and Safety Executive.

It regulates higher-risk residential buildings in England.

The committee is chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton.

Written submissions must be made by 31 August 2025.

Public sessions will run between June and September 2025.

Concerns have been raised about approval delays under the regulator.

The inquiry will assess impacts on housing delivery.

It will examine whether the regulator has adequate resources and staff.

It will consider how clear and workable its processes are for developers.

The committee will compare the UK system with international approaches.

Findings will be reported to the House of Lords in Autumn 2025.

Building control approval for higher-risk buildings: Guidance from the Building Safety Regulator

by Breaking NewsConstructionSafety

Application process applies to high-rise residential, care and hospital buildings in England

The UK Health and Safety Executive has published updated guidance detailing how to apply for building control approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) for work involving higher-risk buildings in England.

Higher-risk buildings are defined as those that are at least 18 metres tall or have seven or more storeys, and either contain at least two residential units or are used as hospitals or care homes.

The guidance outlines when approval is required, how to apply, and the obligations of clients during building projects.

It also explains the classification of building work, exemptions, emergency procedures, and what happens after an application is submitted.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, building work on higher-risk buildings must not begin until building control approval has been granted.

Failing to obtain approval beforehand is a criminal offence.

Clients must ensure applications are accurate and submitted before work begins

Under the regulations, it is the client’s legal responsibility to make sure that an application for building control approval is submitted and approved before any work on a higher-risk building starts.

Clients may nominate someone else to handle the submission process, but responsibility for compliance remains with the client.

Building control approval is required for new higher-risk buildings, work that results in a building becoming or ceasing to be higher-risk, and most work on existing higher-risk buildings unless it is classified as exempt or conducted under a recognised competent person scheme.

Approval is not needed for non-higher-risk buildings.

In such cases, control remains with local authorities or registered building control approvers.

Applications vary based on project scope and must follow defined categories

The process for applying differs depending on whether the project involves a new higher-risk building or work on an existing one.

For new construction, applicants can choose to submit one full application or apply in stages if the project is complex.

In all cases, a single application should be submitted for connected buildings that share common parts such as car parks or walls.

Work on existing higher-risk buildings must be categorised correctly.

Category A includes structural alterations and changes affecting fire safety systems or escape routes.

Category B includes all other work.

Applications submitted under the wrong category may be rejected.

Emergency repairs addressing immediate health or safety risks can be undertaken without prior approval, but BSR must be notified by the end of the next working day.

Approval, inspections, and completion certification processes

Once an application is submitted, the BSR checks that it includes all necessary information.

Applications that pass validation are assessed within 12 weeks for new buildings or 8 weeks for existing buildings, unless otherwise agreed.

Decisions may include approval, conditional approval with further requirements, or rejection.

If rejected, the applicant will receive reasons and can request a review or appeal to a First-tier Tribunal.

After approval, clients must notify the BSR at various stages of the project and comply with a defined inspection schedule.

Any major changes to the project must be submitted for additional approval.

When construction is complete, clients must apply for a completion certificate.

A building with two or more residential units must also be registered with BSR before it can be occupied.

Building control approval for higher-risk buildings: Summary

The Building Safety Regulator, part of the UK Health and Safety Executive, requires building control approval for construction or building work on higher-risk buildings in England.

These buildings are defined as those with at least 18 metres in height or seven storeys, and either containing two or more residential units, or operating as hospitals or care homes.

Clients are legally responsible for ensuring that building control approval is granted before any work starts.

Applications must follow specific processes depending on whether the building is new or existing, and must be categorised appropriately.

Emergency repairs are allowed without prior approval but must be reported to BSR the next working day.

Applications are validated and assessed by BSR, who will issue a decision to approve, approve with requirements, or reject.

Approved projects must follow inspection and change notification protocols.

Upon completion, a certificate must be obtained, and buildings with residential units must be registered with BSR before occupation.

Charges apply according to the BSR’s published scheme.

All the fire safety regulations for flats in England updated post-Grenfell

by Featured NewsSafety

Introduction of new fire safety rules

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the government introduced new fire safety rules for high-rise blocks of flats in England.

These rules, enforced by the newly established Building Safety Regulator (BSR), apply to buildings that are at least 18 metres or seven storeys high.

The regulations took effect between October 2023 and April 2024.

Building regulations and fire safety guidelines have been updated to ensure that new constructions are designed to limit fire spread and facilitate resident evacuation.

According to the government, all flats must have fire alarms, though a communal fire alarm system is not typically required.

Additionally, walls, ceilings, and floors must be constructed to prevent fire spread for a specified duration, known as compartmentation, and fire doors must provide at least 30 minutes of protection.

Compliance and responsibilities

The responsibility for compliance with these regulations lies with developers, designers, and builders.

Developers must obtain approval from a building control body, either the local authority or a private building control approver.

However, for high-rise blocks, approval must come from the BSR.

Once a block of flats is occupied, a ‘responsible person’—usually the building owner or manager—must oversee fire safety in common areas.

This individual must conduct fire risk assessments and implement measures to mitigate identified risks.

For blocks of flats over 11 metres, responsible persons must check flat entrance doors annually and fire doors in communal areas every three months.

New regulations for high-rise blocks

Significant changes have been made specifically for high-rise blocks following the Grenfell Tower fire.

In 2018, the use of combustible materials on the external walls of new high-rise blocks was banned.

Further guidance issued in 2022 advised the installation of evacuation alert systems and the inclusion of a second staircase by 2026.

The government also introduced the role of the ‘accountable person’ for high-rise buildings, responsible for overall building safety, distinct from the ‘responsible person’ who handles fire safety in common areas.

This new role involves assessing and managing building safety risks and preparing a safety case report for the BSR.

Funding and enforcement

The cost of producing safety case reports may fall on leaseholders, though these expenses are not covered by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022.

However, building owners are encouraged to ensure that costs are reasonable and transparent.

Building owners are also required to check and remediate unsafe cladding, with enforcement action possible by local fire services or authorities if owners fail to comply.

Leaseholders are protected from bearing the cost of removing unsafe cladding, but may still be liable for other safety works not covered by the Act.

Reporting safety concerns

Residents concerned about building compliance with regulations should contact their local authority or the BSR for high-rise buildings.

Fire risks should initially be reported to the responsible person, and unresolved issues can be escalated to local fire services.

High-rise building safety concerns should be directed to the principal accountable person, with unresolved issues reported to the BSR.

IFSJ Comment

The updated fire safety regulations introduced post-Grenfell aim to enhance safety in high-rise residential buildings across England.

The creation of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) marks a significant step towards ensuring compliance and enforcing stringent fire safety measures.

The distinction between the roles of the responsible person and the accountable person is crucial in managing both fire safety and broader building safety risks.