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Welsh consultation on the Building Safety proposed definition of a higher-risk building
On 17th February 2023 the Welsh Government launched a consultation into Building Safety proposed definition of a higher-risk building.
The Building Safety Act 2022 which received Royal Assent in April 2022, brought forward a package of legislative changes related to building safety. For Wales the Act contained, amongst other provisions, legislative changes to establish new design and construction processes, oversee the competence of those who operate in the system, and other improvements to support the building of safer buildings generally. A key part of these reforms included a new and more stringent regulatory regime for those buildings which are identified as higher-risk building.
The new more stringent regulatory regime will apply to buildings which come within the definition of “higher-risk building”. This definition will apply to the design and construction phase and for any works to existing buildings that require building regulation consent. The reform of the building safety regime during the occupation phase is being taken forward separately, and the categories of buildings coming within that regime may be different.
Among the proposals were that:
The consultation closed on 12th May 2023 - the results of wich were published on 13th September 2023.
There were 15 specific questions and, overall there were 31 responses to these questions. All the consultation responses were read and duly considered as part of the formal analysis. The results have now been published and you can access a copy of the full summary of responses and the Government response to the consultation via the following link:
Welsh Government Consultation – Summary of Responses and the Government Response for the consultation on the Building Safety proposed definition of a higher-risk building >>>
By way of next steps these regulations will now be finalised, with some amendments being made for clarity/ to ensure the policy is fully implemented, and in line with the Government responses above and are likely to be laid in the Senedd in the Autumn following the affirmative procedure.
SWIGA will report further as the regulations progress.
The Building Safety Act 2022 which received Royal Assent in April 2022, brought forward a package of legislative changes related to building safety. For Wales the Act contained, amongst other provisions, legislative changes to establish new design and construction processes, oversee the competence of those who operate in the system, and other improvements to support the building of safer buildings generally. A key part of these reforms included a new and more stringent regulatory regime for those buildings which are identified as higher-risk building.
The new more stringent regulatory regime will apply to buildings which come within the definition of “higher-risk building”. This definition will apply to the design and construction phase and for any works to existing buildings that require building regulation consent. The reform of the building safety regime during the occupation phase is being taken forward separately, and the categories of buildings coming within that regime may be different.
Among the proposals were that:
- a higher-risk building is defined as a building at least 18 metres in height or has at least seven storeys
- a higher risk building contains at least one residential unit or is a hospital or care home
The consultation closed on 12th May 2023 - the results of wich were published on 13th September 2023.
There were 15 specific questions and, overall there were 31 responses to these questions. All the consultation responses were read and duly considered as part of the formal analysis. The results have now been published and you can access a copy of the full summary of responses and the Government response to the consultation via the following link:
Welsh Government Consultation – Summary of Responses and the Government Response for the consultation on the Building Safety proposed definition of a higher-risk building >>>
By way of next steps these regulations will now be finalised, with some amendments being made for clarity/ to ensure the policy is fully implemented, and in line with the Government responses above and are likely to be laid in the Senedd in the Autumn following the affirmative procedure.
SWIGA will report further as the regulations progress.
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