Background: The role of the BSR

Established under the Building Safety Act 2022, the BSR was created in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent Hackitt Review. It was established within the Health and Safety Executive and with toughened existing and new powers is now the building control body for higher-risk buildings.

Its primary mandate is to oversee the safety of higher-risk buildings—those (1) over 18 metres or with at least seven storeys and (2) two or more residential units.

The BSR currently operates within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and is tasked with setting safety standards, overseeing building control bodies, and ensuring compliance across the construction sector. However, as a consequence of the Government’s new reform package, that looks to be changing.

The government’s reform package

On 30 June 2025, the UK government unveiled a package of reforms designed to streamline the BSR’s operations and support the delivery of 1.5 million new homes.

Key elements include:

• A new fast track process: Designed to reduce delays in newbuild applications and remediation decisions, this process will bring additional inspector and engineer capacity directly into the BSR.
• Leadership changes: Andy Roe, former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, has been appointed as the non-executive chair of a new board overseeing the BSR. Charlie Pugsley will serve as the new CEO.
• Increased investment: Over 100 new staff members will be added to enhance the BSR’s operational capacity.
• Movement toward a single construction regulator: These reforms are seen as early steps toward creating a unified construction regulator, a key recommendation from the Grenfell Inquiry.

Parliamentary Scrutiny and Sector Concerns

These reforms follow off the back of the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee launching an inquiry to assess whether the BSR is fit for purpose.

The committee is seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders, including housing associations, architects, and resident groups. Key questions include:

• Does its regulatory framework strike the right balance between safety and efficiency?
• Has the introduction of the BSR improved the safety of the buildings it is responsible for?
• To what extent are delays in approvals for high-rise buildings down to the regulatory processes used by the BSR?
• Are the BSR’s approval processes sufficiently clear and understandable to developers?
• Does the BSR have access to the skilled staff necessary to carry out multidisciplinary assessments of safety?

Baroness Taylor of Bolton, Chair of the Committee, emphasized the importance of understanding the current capability of the BSR:

“The Committee wants to hear from all stakeholders to find out if the BSR has the skills and resources required to ensure the safety of all buildings and its residents in the process of approving applications for high-rise buildings.”

Relevant stakeholders in the sector have been encouraged to provide feedback for the Committee’s review and you can do this here: https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3685/

How we can support you

Whilst the need for change on building safety was overdue, the implementation of that change has been subject to much critical commentary given its impact on high rise development schemes within the sector (at a time when UK Government policy demands delivery of an ever-greater volume of homes).

As such, this package of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator marks a pivotal moment in the UK’s approach to housing and construction safety.

While the UK Government’s efforts to streamline processes and boost capacity are welcome, ongoing scrutiny from Parliament and industry stakeholders will be essential to ensure that a measured approach is given to ensure continued safety whilst allowing developments to proceed in a timely manner.

Our team of experts can support you with your developments to ensure that they are able to meet the requirements arising from the Building Safety reforms and support your developments progression through the new, stringent, regulatory regime. Please get in touch with Alex Jones, Tom Peel, Paul Hargreaves, Jules Harbage and Alastair Robertson.