From Friction to Acceleration: A Shift in Building Safety Oversight

A few weeks ago, Chris Lees spotlighted a critical tension in the UK housing sector: the unintended consequences of the Building Safety Act creating bottlenecks in project progression, particularly for buildings under 18m. His post resonated across the industry – highlighting that while safety is paramount, regulation must be enabling, not paralysing.

It seems the Government may have been thinking the same thing!

In a major policy shift, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced reforms to the Building Safety Regulator, including the regulator’s return from HSE to the MHCLG. The goal? To accelerate housebuilding, reduce red tape, and prepare the way for the regulator’s role to evolve into a single construction regulator.

Chris’ article questioned the cost and delays of inefficient regulation on delivery – and now, that very friction is set to be eased. The new leadership will hopefully take a more modern view on the role of data in regulation. It could be a win for evidence-based safety – and for those, like Chris, who’ve been advocating for it.

MHCLG’s Alex Norris’ desire to ‘create a system that works for the sector’ whilst keeping residents safe still must learn from the mistakes of the HSE and lean into the digital world we now live in.

As the sector digests this news, one thing is clear: when policy listens to operational reality, everyone wins — especially the people waiting for safe, affordable homes.

Read the official announcement here.

Chris Lees’ original perspective here.