Government announces major shake-up of Building Safety Regulator

The UK Government has announced a major shake-up of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), which aims to accelerate housebuilding and unlock delays.

The reforms introduce new leadership, increased investment, and streamlined processes to accelerate the delivery of new homes and support safer construction practices.

At the heart of the reforms is a newly introduced Fast Track Process designed to unblock delays in the assessment of newbuild applications. The process will bring additional engineering and building control capacity into the BSR to improve turnaround times for both new developments and remediation cases – "while keeping safety front and centre".

The changes are part of a wider strategy to support the delivery of 1.5 million high-quality, safe homes and reflect growing calls across the sector for a more efficient and responsive regulatory framework.

As part of the reforms, the Government has appointed Andy Roe KFSM, former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, as non-executive chair of a new board under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). He will oversee the transition of BSR functions and lay the groundwork for a future single construction regulator – a key recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Roe will be joined by Charlie Pugsley, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for the BSR, bringing a renewed focus on operational performance and sector engagement.

"The establishment of the BSR was a landmark step in centralising safety in construction. These reforms build on that foundation, helping to deliver the homes the country needs while keeping residents' safety at the heart of the process," said Minister for Building Safety, Alex Norris.

To support these ambitions, the BSR is undergoing a significant expansion. More than 100 new staff are being recruited to increase capacity and improve service delivery across the regulator's operations. This move is expected to ease bottlenecks and improve industry confidence in the regulatory system.

The changes mark an important step in the evolution of the BSR, which was initially set up by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in response to the post-Grenfell regulatory overhaul.

"The BSR was a watershed moment for housing and construction. But it’s clear the system must continue to evolve to support the safe and timely delivery of the homes we need," noted Andy Roe, incoming Chair of the BSR. "I’m committed to working with industry and colleagues across the regulator to deliver these vital improvements."

Sarah Newton, Chair of the HSE, added: "We’re proud of the work HSE has done to establish the BSR. The transition to MHCLG reflects the next phase of its development and will help implement the Grenfell Inquiry’s wider recommendations. We’ll continue to support a smooth and effective handover."

The Government says these reforms "are just the beginning of its Plan for Change", a long-term strategy to build safer, better homes – faster.