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Government to implement Hackitt Review in full
The government has pledged to implement all of the recommendations put forward by Dame Judith Hackitt in her review of building regulations and fire safety published earlier this year.
In an announcement today, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed it would take forward all of the recommendations to “create a stronger and more effective regulatory framework” which would improve building safety standards across the country.
In May, Dame Judith published her much-anticipated Building a Safer Future review which called for an overhaul of regulatory regime for tower blocks.
The report said that current building regulations were “not fit for purpose” and put forward a number of recommendations, including the creation of a new joint competent authority to oversee better management of safety risk in buildings.
The government said it was now committed to a “programme of reform” over the next few years which would include tougher sanctions on building owners and companies that show a disregard for building safety.
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Reforms will see the creation of a joint regulators group (JRG), a body made up of the Health and Safety Executive, fire and rescue services and local authority building control which will assist with the implementation of the new regulations.
The JRG will work closely with “early adopter” landlords and companies to trial and pilot elements of the new regulatory framework ahead of any proposed changes to legislation.
The government has also vowed to create clearer guidance for those in the building sector by improving the way in which construction products are tested, labelled and marketed.
A new standards committee to advise the secretary of state on regulations around construction products and building standards will be created.
In addition, a consultation will be launched next year looking at the possibility of setting up a national regulatory body to provide oversight of the performance of construction products in the market.
The use of desktop studies has been further restricted by the government after the conclusion of its delayed consultation into their use.
Desktop studies are a way of using untested materials on buildings by taking previous test data and extrapolating results for new materials.
Under the new proposals, these would be forbidden unless testing was “clearly impractical or not feasible” and they would only be carried out by bodies accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.
The reforms announced today will also look to encourage residents to become more engaged with the regulatory framework and building safety, as well as give them more effective routes to escalate safety concerns.
As part of this, the government will launch consultations in the spring looking at making it mandatory for duty holders to put in place resident engagement strategies and proactively provide residents with critical safety information.
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, welcomed the moves but called for more details around how the changes would work in practice.
She said: “All of this action must be seen as the starting point of a complete overhaul of our building safety system and it’s vital the government moves quickly to bring more clarity.”
Debbie Larner, head of practice at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “The Hackitt Review rightly recommended a wholesale overhaul of the building regulations and fire safety system covering high-rise buildings and we have been urging the government to put its recommendations into practice as soon as possible, so we welcome today’s announcement that they will all be taken forward.
“It is absolutely vital that we increase accountability for everyone involved in building and managing homes and make sure that residents have a stronger voice.”
More on the Hackitt Review
The Hackitt Review: key recommendations at-a-glance Inside Housing breaks down the key areas of the final report from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations
Brokenshire: government will consult on banning combustible cladding The housing secretary announces a consultation despite the Hackitt Report findings
Dame Judith Hackitt: the interview Dame Judith Hackitt spoke to Inside Housing shortly after releasing her much-anticipated review of building regulations
Final Hackitt report calls for new regulatory body but does not ban combustibles Dame Judith Hackitt has called for a regulatory body to be set up to oversee the safety of buildings, but has stopped short of a prescriptive approach or the banning of dangerous cladding.
Grenfell survivors ‘saddened and disappointed’ by Hackitt report Reaction to Hackitt’s findings decision to ignore calls for a ban on combustible cladding
The Paper Trail: The Failure of Building Regulations
Read our in-depth investigation into how building regulations have changed over time and how this may have contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire:
