New Building Safety (Wales) Bill introduces three guiding principles

Safety, accountability and resident empowerment have been announced as the guiding principles of the new Building Safety (Wales) Bill, introduced this week.

Aimed at transforming how building safety is managed and enforced, the Bill is a central part of the Welsh Government’s wider building reform programme in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The Bill outlines significant reforms that will directly impact building engineers, surveyors, and other duty holders:

Ongoing risk management
Building safety risks must be continuously assessed and managed throughout a building’s occupation, particularly in multi-occupied residential buildings 11 metres  and above.

Reformed building control
The legislation introduces sweeping changes to the building control system, including the mandatory registration and regulation of building control professionals.

Defined legal responsibilities
For the first time, duty holders will have clear legal accountability for building safety, ending the ambiguity over who is responsible for protecting residents and users.

New high-risk building regulations
Enhanced oversight and standards will apply to high-risk buildings, ensuring better design, construction, and post-occupancy safety outcomes.

Resident engagement and complaint routes
Residents will gain new rights to access safety information and raise concerns through formal redress channels. They will also bear responsibilities for supporting the safety of their building.

"This landmark Bill will fundamentally transform safety in multi-occupied residential buildings across Wales," Jayne Bryant, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, said in a statement.

"Its key principles – safety, accountability, and residents’ voices – go further than current legislation in other UK nations," she added.

"It gives professionals clear duties, equips residents with rights, and ensures enforcement where safety is compromised. We must never again allow the conditions that led to Grenfell to repeat."