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The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has published its first three-year strategic plan outlining its overarching direction and vision to improve safety standards and galvanise culture change.
Image credit: Alexey Sorokin/AlamyStock
The plan from the Regulator has been consulted on with a Residents’ Panel and agreed by the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities.
Its aim is to establish a vision to create a built environment where everyone is competent and takes responsibility to ensure buildings are of high quality and are safe.
The Regulator also emphasises its ambition to restore trust in the built environment. The plan sets out its mission for residents and building users to feel confident that the “tragedies of the past will never be repeated”.
The Building Safety Regulator says it will:
improve the safety and standards of all buildings
make sure residents of higher-risk buildings are safe and feel safe in their homes
help restore trust in the built environment sector
It will do this by:
delivering consistent standards within the building control profession
overseeing and driving improvements across the whole built environment
regulating the planning, design, and construction of new higher-risk buildings
ensuring those who are responsible for occupied higher-risk buildings manage risk so that residents are safe
working in partnership with co-regulators
“The Regulator must lead the sector”
Commenting in the foreword to the strategic plan, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, said: “The system that regulates our buildings must be practical and comprehensible. The Regulator must lead the sector in creating a built environment fit for the future.
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
“This first three-year strategic plan is a significant moment in this mission. It looks forward and lays out a solid foundation on which the Regulator can build its ambition in future years.”
Ambition to create fundamental changes to the safety of buildings
Philip White, HSE’s Director of Building Safety, said: “This strategic plan sets out the guiding principles we have put in place to keep us focused on our priorities in delivering the new regime, and we will keep it under continuous review.
“We will ensure we have the right capability and capacity to meet this challenge as our remit continues to evolve, working with others sharing knowledge, expertise, and data.
“Our focus is clear and resolute as we oversee a culture of higher standards, putting building safety first. Our regulatory activities will be conducted in a way which is transparent, accountable, proportionate, and consistent.
“Throughout the next three years, BSR will continue to work across all sectors to ensure that those working in the building sector engage fully with the new regime.
“Our aim is that people will see fundamental changes to the safety and standard of all buildings and increased competency among industry professionals that raises those standards year on year.”
Chair of the Health and Safety Executive, Sarah Newton, said: “This is a strong, coherent strategy built on collaboration with all BSR’s stakeholders, with a keen focus on ensuring industry takes ownership and responsibility for delivering a safe system throughout the life cycle of a building.
This must be front of mind for everyone. And everyone must be aware of their legal responsibilities. Collaboration and collective responsibility are key for delivering better standards.”
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Building Safety Regulator sets out three-year plan to create competent built environment and restore trust in sectorThe Building Safety Regulator has published its first three-year strategic plan outlining its overarching direction and vision.
James Moore
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