Building Safety Bill published

The Government has published the Building Safety Bill, which outlines the most significant changes to building safety regulation in a generation. These include the creation of the Building Safety Regulator to oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, with powers to introduce more stringent rules for high‐rise residential buildings, hospitals and care homes of at least 18 metres (seven storeys). New ‘Gateways’ at each stage of a building’s design and construction will be introduced, along with the requirement to create, hold and maintain a ‘golden thread’ of information, and there is a new series of factsheets outlining the implications for dutyholders. The Bill will also introduce new Government powers to regulate construction products.
 
At a meeting of Build UK members prior to the Bill being published, Dame Judith Hackitt was clear that “the industry should be acting responsibly ahead of the new Building Safety Regulator being set up” and she urged “everyone in the supply chain to step up the pace of change to deliver the required level of safety, as the old ways of operating will no longer be acceptable”.