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16 February 2021
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced the appointment of a Chief Inspector of Buildings to lead the new BSR which forms part of the draft Building Safety Bill and the new regulatory regime for high risk buildings and general oversight of building safety.
10 February 2021
Replacing unsafe cladding for leaseholders in residential buildings 18 metres (six storeys) and over will be fully funded. Leaseholders in lower-rise buildings will have access to a long-term, low interest scheme. A developer levy and new tax for residential property development was also announced.
Essential Reading
Further reading
19 January 2021
The regulator can remove unsafe products from the market, prosecute companies who break product safety rules and conduct its own product-testing. An independent review has also been commissioned to examine weaknesses in previous testing regimes for construction products.
08 January 2021
Consultation closed 25 January 2021.
17 December 2020
The UK Parliament Building Safety Update announced a £30M Waking Watch Relief Fund for installation of fire alarm systems in private high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding. The deadline to apply for the £1B Building Safety Fund for replacement of unsafe non-ACM is extended to 30 June 2021.
24 November 2020
This follows legislative scrutiny, recommending that more detail is needed.
24 November 2020
21 November 2020
This means that where owners of flats are selling or re-mortgaging their property, they will not need an EWS1 certificate where there is no cladding on the building.
20 July 2020
Implementing major reforms of the building safety system following response to Building a safer future consultation (April 2020) including:
Essential Reading
20 July 2020
Consultation closed 12 October 2020
26 May 2020
Registration prospectus: The £1bn fund is in addition to monies Government has already made available to cover cost of remediating high-rise buildings with unsafe ACM cladding.
Applications for fund extended to 30 June 2021.
02 April 2020
The response sets out proposals for a reformed building safety regulatory system in response to the Hackitt Report.
19 March 2020
Fire Safety Bill introduced to improve fire safety in buildings in England and Wales, requiring the responsible person or duty-holder for multi-occupied, residential buildings to manage and reduce fire risk in the structure and external walls of the building.
27 January 2020
Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry commences, addressing eight distinct Modules.
21 January 2020
Government’s response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 1 report is published, setting out steps being taken to implement the recommendations and work being undertaken to make buildings safer.
20 January 2020
Proposals include inclusion of hotels and boarding houses, lowering the height threshold of the ban from 18 to 11 metres, and banning combustible composite materials in all buildings, regardless of height.
Consultation closed 25 May 2020
19 December 2019
A new industry-wide voluntary valuation process is announced by RICS for buying, selling and re-mortgaging homes in buildings above 18 metres (six storeys), including the use of EWS1 forms. The External Wall Fire Review Process requires a fire safety assessment to be carried out by a suitably qualified person and is valid for five years.
30 October 2019
The report explains what occurred at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017 and, among other things, recommends new legal requirements on owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings.
14 October 2019
A new building safety standard is announced in the Queen’s Speech. Its purpose is to establish a new regulatory regime to create robust building safety standards, including the implementation of a new independent Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
06 June 2019
Government consultation proposes reform of the building safety regulatory system in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, including creation of a ‘duty-holder’ system and increased focus on long-term maintenance and management of buildings post-construction.
Consultation closed 31 July 2019
Charles Russell Speechlys provided a response to the consultation
06 June 2019
Government seeks views on its fitness for purpose for non-domestic premises, although the call for evidence considers whether the Order should apply to common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings and to mixed-use buildings.
Consultation closed 31 July 2019
09 May 2019
£200M fund to remediate unsafe ACM cladding on private sector residential buildings 18 m or higher. Applications for the fund closed 31 December 2019.
21 December 2018
New Regulation 7(2) requires all materials which become part of a new or refurbished external wall on a building above 18m, containing one or more dwellings, to be of limited combustibility.
17 May 2018
It includes a powerful critique of the current regulatory framework and practices applicable to high-rise residential tower blocks.
Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report.
14 June 2017
Fire breaks out at the 23 storey tower block in North Kensington, West London.
31 October 2015
Fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings – Code of Practice is published and recommends any cladding and insulation material used above 18m should be of limited combustibility.
31 December 2011
It recommends that combustible materials should not be used in cladding systems.
01 October 2010
Parts B1 – B5, relating to fire safety, remain as per Building Regulations 2000.
07 June 2005
It covers general fire safety in England and Wales and will be amended by the Fire Safety Bill.
01 January 2000
Further versions of Building Regulations come into force, including a new Part B5 relating to access and facilities for the fire service.
31 October 1984
Building Act 1984 comes into force permitting Building Regulations to be made and to approve ‘Approved Documents’.
