Unblocking Delays in High-Rise Home Construction: A New Era for Building Safety Regulation
min readIn a significant move aimed at addressing delays in the construction of new high-rise homes, the Government has unveiled a package of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). They are intended to:
- improve the performance of the BSR
- assist delivery of the Government’s goal of 1.5 million homes by 2029 and
- Stick to Keir Starmer’s pledge to adopt all Grenfell Tower Enquiry recommendations by creating a single construction regulator.
Since its inception, the BSR has faced criticism from industry actors. Barely 10% of building safety Gateway 2 submissions for new builds have been approved according to recent figures sought via Freedom of Information Act requests, with much-extended timescales involved in reviews. Last month the House of Lords initiated an inquiry into the BSR's approval process, seeking to understand the reasons behind the lagging approval rates. The Industry and Regulators Committee has invited written contributions to the inquiry by 31 August 2025 and will hold public evidence sessions between June and September, with a report expected in the Autumn.
The Association of Construction Quality Professionals (ACQP) has been vocal in its criticism of the BSR's current operation under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), calling for it to be removed from HSE oversight in early June. The ACQP argued that the HSE is not equipped to function as a construction regulator, citing its staff, systems, and oversight frameworks as ill-suited to managing building control, cladding, fire engineering, or long-term structural risks.
So what has been announced? There are three keys areas of reform:
- Structure: The BSR will be transitioned from its current position within the HSE to a new Executive Agency within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). This strategic shift is part of the government's broader vision to streamline building safety regulation and enhance its effectiveness, and a crucial step towards the creation of a single construction regulator, aligning with the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
- Leadership: Andy Roe KFSM, formerly Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, has been appointed as the chair of a new board within the MHCLG which will assume the functions of the BSR in due course. Roe's extensive experience in safety regulation and leadership is expected to be instrumental in guiding the BSR through this transformative phase. He will be supported by Charlie Pugsley, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for the BSR.
- Fast-track: Central to the reforms is the introduction of a new Fast Track Process. This initiative aims to directly integrate building inspector and engineer capacity into the BSR, improving the processing and review of applications. To bolster the BSR's operational capacity, the government is investing in long-term enhancements, including the recruitment of over 100 new staff members – a move away from the outsourcing of experts to bring the multi-disciplinary teams in-house.
The reforms to the BSR represent a significant step in addressing delays in high-rise home construction and enhancing building safety regulation in the UK. However, the success of these reforms will depend on their implementation and the ability to address the criticisms and challenges that have been raised.
As the House of Lords inquiry progresses, it will be crucial to monitor developments and ensure that the BSR evolves to meet the needs of the construction industry and the safety of residents.
The establishment of the Building Safety Regulator has been fundamental to centralising safety in the construction process and it’s time to take the next steps to build on that precedent and create a system that works for the sector whilst keeping residents and their safety at the heart of the process.
