Government appoints six members to the Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance panel

The government has announced the appointment of six members to the Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance panel.

The panel is being appointed to support work to deliver on the recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry Phase 2 report, accepted by the government, to review the statutory guidance which accompany the Building Regulations known as Approved Documents.

In December 2024, it announced that the Building Safety Regulator would be leading a fundamental review of the building regulations guidance, to centre on how they are produced, structured and presented. The Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance panel members will support and inform the review and the members each come with extensive experience across a range of sectors.

Minister for Building Safety, Alex Norris said: “The appointment of this panel is an important step in our response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Guidance which supports compliance with Building Regulations must be clear, accurate, and practical, and subject to regular updates to ensure it remains effective.

“The work of the panel will support our delivery of 1.5 million new homes, by making compliance easier, improving safety and quality in construction, and ensuring greater confidence in the building safety system. I look forward to receiving the panel’s recommendations.”

The six are: Dinah Bornat, Architect; Dan Rossiter, Digital Expert; Danielle Michalska-Morris, Housebuilder; Rachel Ferguson, Planner; Professor Luke Bisby, Technical Expert; and Dr Hywel Davies, Technical Expert.

Background on the Approved Documents and Building Regulations system:

• The Building Regulations set the minimum required standards for building work, referred to as the ‘functional requirements’.
• The Approved Documents contain general guidance on the performance expected of materials and building work, including practical examples of how to achieve compliance in common building situations.
• The Grenfell Tower Inquiry raised concerns about the way that the statutory guidance is expressed. In April 2023, the responsibility for updating and keeping Approved Documents under review was transferred to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act 2022 to keep under review the safety and standards of buildings.
• In December 2024, the BSR was commissioned by the government to conduct a fundamental review of the statutory guidance, and the new panel has been appointed to inform this work.