Key provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 1 October 2023, and 2024 will see the new rules for dutyholders fully take effect. We now have a Building Safety Regulator (part of the Health & Safety Executive) as the new building control authority for all higher-risk buildings (HRBs) in England. Its three-year strategic plan spans 2023 to 2026 and details a focus on: delivering consistent standards within the building control profession; overseeing improvements across the built environment; regulating planning, design, and construction of new HRBs; and ensuring those responsible for HRBs manage risk.

Laudable aims, and while the enforcement policy statement published in December 2023 emphasises the BSR will adopt a proportionate approach, it has several enforcement methods at its disposal against both companies and individuals. With a stated objective to implement a more stringent regulatory regime for HRBs in England, it will want to show it has teeth.

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