BSR reforms pave way for new leadership, fast-track process and single construction regulator

Philip White, the current head of the BSR, will step down in September because he wants to reduce his working hours.

Alex Norris, the minister for building safety, said:  “The establishment of the Building Safety Regulator has been fundamental to centralising safety in the construction process, and it’s time to take the next steps to build on that precedent and create a system that works for the sector whilst keeping residents and their safety at the heart of the process.”

This new organisational structure hopes to build “on the strong foundation” created by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in establishing the BSR.

The new fast-track process will bring building inspector and engineer capacity directly into the BSR to enhance the processing and review of existing new-build cases and remediation decisions. The government hopes this will address concerns in the sector around delays, while keeping building and residents’ safety at the core of the process.

In a recent interview with Inside Housing, Tim Galloway, the deputy director of the BSR, responded to widespread industry criticism that the regulator’s ‘gateway’ process is delaying new-build housing and slowing building safety remediation schemes.

The BSR – which was set up in response to the failures that led to the Grenfell Tower fire and subsequent building safety crisis – has faced criticism that its high rates of rejection and slow processes are causing damaging delays in the construction industry.

Mr Roe said: “The creation of the new Building Safety Regulator was a watershed moment for housing and construction in this country.

“However, it is also clear that the BSR processes need to continue to evolve and improve, to ensure that it plays its part in enabling the homes this country desperately needs to be built.

“I look forward to working with colleagues both in industry and the BSR to tackle the current issues and delays head-on and help get those homes built safely.”

Long-term investment in the capacity of the BSR is being bolstered with the addition of over 100 members of staff to enhance operations, reduce delays and support progress towards the government’s 1.5 million homes target.

Sarah Newton, chair of the HSE board, said:  “Setting up an entirely new regulator has been complex, and huge progress has been made in a short space of time.

“Protecting residents and making sure there is never another tragedy like Grenfell has been our priority throughout this process. We wish the new BSR team well in this most important mission.

“We are very proud of the work we have done to establish the BSR. It was always an option that, once the new regulator was established, it would move out of HSE to enable the government to implement the Grenfell public inquiry recommendations, and we will work hard to enable the smooth transition to the next stage.”

The BSR recently announced that it will begin publishing quarterly performance data.