In its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report, the Government fully accepted 49 of the Inquiry’s recommendations, and has explained how it will implement the remaining nine recommendations.

The following are but some of the plethora of reforms which the Government has outlined:

There will be a new, single construction regulator responsible for holding to account those responsible for building safety.
An initial review of the definition of higher-risk building (“HRB”) has been undertaken, with plans for ongoing reviews to be set out this summer.
A Chief Construction Adviser is to be appointed to advise the Secretary of State on all matters affecting the construction industry.
Approved Document B will be put under continuous review, and the Building Safety Regulator will launch a consultation on further changes to Approved Document B in autumn 2025.
Within its construction products green paper published today the Government sets out its proposals for system-wide reform of the construction products
The Government is considering how to protect and regulate the fire engineering profession, intending to set out its plans by this autumn.
It will become a statutory requirement for a principal designer (“PD”) to submit a statement with building control approval applications confirming the PD has complied with its existing duties, including taking all reasonable steps to ensure the design complies with relevant building regulation requirements. It remains to be seen if this obligation will be for HRBs only or all building control applications.
A review will be undertaken regarding a licencing scheme for principal contractors undertaking the construction or refurbishment of HRBs.
It will become a mandatory requirement for fire risk assessors’ competence to be independently verified by a UKAS-accredited Certification Body.

Clearly monumental change is required to address the failings outlined in the Inquiry’s report. Given the far-reaching scale of its reforms, the Government intends to use a three-phased approach to deliver its proposals over the course of the next three years.

If you have questions about any cladding and/or building safety issues, please contact Brenna Baye or any other member of our Building Safety and Cladding Team.

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