Landmark bill for Wales

The Building Safety (Wales) Bill has been introduced to the Senedd in Wales. It forms part of a wider programme of reforms aimed at improving safety in buildings and is part of the Welsh government’s broader response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

It includes:

• a programme of work aimed at addressing fire safety issues in multi-occupied residential buildings of 11m and above
• significant reforms to the building control system
• introducing new regulations for high-risk buildings
• clearer responsibilities for dutyholders; and
• mandatory registration and regulation of building control professionals.

The bill will require building safety risks to be assessed and managed while buildings are in occupation, with a robust enforcement regime to back that up.

The legislation will also create clear lines of accountability for dutyholders. These dutyholders will have legal responsibility for assessing and managing building safety, ending confusion over who is responsible for the safety of residents and others.

Cabinet Secretary Jayne Bryant said: “This landmark bill will fundamentally transform safety in multi-occupied residential buildings across Wales. Its key principles are safety, accountability and residents’ voices, and it goes wider and further than existing legislation in other parts of the UK.”

Follow the bill’s progress as it makes its way through the Senedd’s legislative process at b.link/Senedd_BSWB

Image credit | iStock