The government has launched a consultation on building safety
reform following the Hackitt Review, published in response to the Grenfell
Tower fire of 2017.
Taking forward all of Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommendations
and “going further”, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(MHCLG) said it would consult on establishing “duty holders” who will be
responsible for the safety of building occupants and ensuring that Building
Regulations are followed.
They will also be expected to keep vital safety information
electronically on how the building was designed and built and is managed, “for
the entire life of a building”.
Her review also called for a culture change in the industry,
“underpinned by changing how homes are designed, built, maintained and managed
in the future,” MHCLG added.
Adrian
Dobson, RIBA Executive Director Professional Services, said: “The Grenfell
Tower tragedy shocked the world and exposed serious failures. Yet nearly two
years on – aside from restrictions on the use of combustible materials –
building regulations and associated guidance remain largely unchanged and
inconsistent across the UK.
"We welcome
this consultation and particularly commend the proposals for tighter regulation
of higher risk residential buildings of 18m or more in height (rather than 30m+
which was recommended by the Government’s 2018 Independent Review of Building
Regulations on Fire Safety) and the establishment of a single building safety
regulator.
"However
significant reform in building safety requirements is long overdue. We urge the
Government to extend these regulations to other high risk buildings such as
schools, hospitals, care homes and prisons, and adopt vital recommendations
such as increased requirements for the use of sprinklers.”
The government has also
proposed a new building safety regulator to take enforcement action – including
fines or imprisonment - against those responsible for a building who shirk
their duties. The building safety regulator will oversee the safety of new and
existing buildings, MHCLG explained.
“The intention is that, the regulator and people responsible
for a building’s safety will be working towards the common goal at the heart of
the new regime – the safety of residents,” it added.
Alongside the introduction of the building safety regulator,
the government wishes to implement clearer standards and guidance, creating a
new standards committee for construction products and systems standards to
provide impartial advice.
The government said the consultation “proposes a stronger
voice for residents of high rise buildings to ensure their concerns are never
ignored”. This includes better information about residents’ buildings “so that
they can participate in decisions about safety, as well as clear and quick
routes of escalation for their concerns if things do go wrong”.
Following the consultation, the government intends to
implement the reforms in law.
Buildinga safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system closes on July 31.
