COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (060) issued by The Government News Network
on 28 March 2007
The Government
today launched a major modernisation of the Building Control
system with the publication of a paper detailing its vision for
how the system can be improved.
'The Future for Building Control' sets out a package of
options that the Government is minded to develop further and
invites interested parties to provide suggestions on how reform
should proceed. The publication follows detailed discussions with
key members of industry on the strengths and weaknesses of the
current system, which have highlighted the strong case for reform.
The paper recognises a number of important shortcomings with the
current system including the lack of a clear future vision for the
purpose of Building Control, the current piecemeal approach to
regulatory change and the complexity of guidance. Problems with
achieving compliance and with effective enforcement are also
highlighted as key areas for action.
Amongst those ideas included in the package are options for:
* providing greater enforcement powers for local authorities to
tackle persistent offenders;
* further helping with compliance
by providing simple customer focused guidance that helps with
specific building work or types of problems;
* moving away
from a piecemeal approach to building regulation review and
towards a longer fixed-term cycle with planned pauses and a clear
indication of future changes; and
* formulating options for
making sure that building control bodies are properly resourced
into the future.
Angela Smith, Minister for Building Regulations said:
"There is a clear case for reform of the Building Control
System both for industry and for the consumer. Initial talks with
stakeholders have proved very helpful in giving Government a steer
on the areas we need to modernise to make it as effective and
straightforward as it should be.
"We are determined to ensure that we have a Building Control
System that is efficient in its purpose to deliver buildings which
are not only safe, healthy and accessible but also sustainable and
make a direct contribution to tackling climate change. I invite
all interested parties to get involved in the debate and offer any
other suggestions that will contribute to making a Building
Control System fit for the future".
Michael Finn, chairman of BRAC said:
"The present system of Building Regulation has served us
well, but more complex construction techniques and the need to
achieve greater energy efficiency mean we need to take a hard look
at ways of improving and simplifying the technical guidance and
setting milestones for future step changes.
"I welcome this initiative which BRAC wholeheartedly
supports and we will work with Ministers to develop a robust
system for the future."
Also published today is study document Achieving Building
Standards, which has fed into the Government's analysis of
the current system. A full consultation document will be published
in due course.
Notes to Editors
1. The Review of Building Control is an essential element of the
work Communities and Local Government is doing to deliver its
objectives on the sustainability of buildings - as set out in
Building a Greener Future. It also responds to the recommendation
in the Barker Report on the supply of housing that proposed that
there should be a fundamental review into the working of the
Building Regulations.
2. The 'Building the Future Paper' can be found here:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1509043.
3. 'Achieving Building Standards' was compiled by
research company SAIC (Science Applications International
Corporation). Its consultants have worked on a range of
modernisation & best practice programmes studies for
Government and commercial industries. The document can be found
here http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1509051.
4. On 27 June 2006, Angela Smith chaired a roundtable event on
Building Regulation reform which included representatives from
across Central and Local Government, the house building and
construction industry, building control bodies and environmental
groups. Further details can be found here: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2187
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 4400; Email: press@communities.gsi.gov.uk
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