‘Biggest Changes To Building Safety In A Generation’

The government has published its response to ‘Building a Safer Future’, the consultation it launched in June 2019 seeking views on proposed changes to the building safety system. These are based on recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and include the establishment of a new Building Safety Regulator via the Health and Safety Executive, as announced in January. Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said that an initial update would be published in May to implement a number of the new measures concerning high-rise flats. All new blocks of flats taller than 11m will require wayfinding signage and sprinkler systems. Read more on Social Housing.

https://www.socialhousing.co.uk/news/biggest-changes-to-building-safety-in-a-generation-as-government-publishes-suite-of-measures-65953

Pincher Plays Safe Over Building A Safer Future

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher is playing safe over Building a Safer Future, hinting only at Government’s response to the consultation being published “shortly”. Kate Green (Lab – Stretford and Urmston) put a series of written Commons questions to draw out detail of the independent fire safety review. She had the same answer off Pincher each time. Pincher said: “The Government has been considering the feedback received from its Building a Safer Future consultation carefully. “We will be shortly publishing our response to this consultation, setting out details of the new regulatory regime, to be legislated for in the Building Safety Bill, that will ensure residents are, and feel, safe in their homes.” Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/pincher-plays-safe-over-building-a-safer-future/