Building Safety Regulator Publishes 3-Year Plan

THE BUILDING Safety Regulator (BSR) has published its first three-year strategic plan today.

The strategy plans to create a built environment where all professionals involved are competent and take responsibility to ensure buildings are of high quality and are safe.

The strategic plan represents the most significant change to regulation of building safety for a generation, BSR says.

BSR was set up after the Grenfell fire. It aims to lead a change in culture and behaviours across the construction industry and the whole built environment.

It aims to make residents and other building users confident that industry is working together to make sure the tragedies of the past will never be repeated.

3-Year Plan

The Building Safety Regulator will:

• improve the safety and standards of all buildings
• make sure residents of higher-risk buildings are safe and feel safe in their homes
• help restore trust in the built environment sector

BSR plans to do this by:

• delivering consistent standards in the building control profession
• overseeing and driving improvements across the whole built environment
• regulating the planning, design, and construction of new higher-risk buildings
• ensuring those who are responsible for occupied higher-risk buildings manage risk so that residents are safe
• working in partnership with co-regulators

Practical and Comprehensible

Commenting in the foreword to the strategic plan, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, said: “The system that regulates our buildings must be practical and comprehensible. The Regulator must lead the sector in creating a built environment fit for the future.

“This first three-year strategic plan is a significant moment in this mission. It looks forward and lays out a solid foundation on which the Regulator can build its ambition in future years.

Pledging to ensure BSR has the capacity to do what it plans and deliver safety expectations, Philip White, HSE’s Director of Building Safety, said: “This strategic plan sets out the guiding principles we have put in place to keep us focused on our priorities in delivering the new regime, and we will keep it under continuous review.

“Our focus is clear and resolute as we oversee a culture of higher standards, putting building safety first. Our regulatory activities will be conducted in a way which is transparent, accountable, proportionate, and consistent.

“Throughout the next three years, BSR will continue to work across all sectors to ensure that those working in the building sector engage fully with the new regime. Our aim is that people will see fundamental changes to the safety and standard of all buildings and increased competency among industry professionals that raises those standards year on year.”

Responsibilities

Chair of the Health and Safety Executive, Sarah Newton, said: “This is a strong, coherent strategy built on collaboration with all BSR’s stakeholders, with a keen focus on ensuring industry takes ownership and responsibility for delivering a safe system throughout the life cycle of a building. This must be front of mind for everyone. And everyone must be aware of their legal responsibilities. Collaboration and collective responsibility are key for delivering better standards.”

The BSR’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2026 is published today.

The Building Safety Regulator is an independent body established by the Building Safety Act, 2022, and is part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

BSR’s remit is to raise building safety and performance standards and oversee the new regime for high-rise residential buildings.

Its wider role is to regulate safety and performance of all buildings and increase the competence of regulators and industry professionals.

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