Paul Wilkins, Chair of the ACAI details three recent initiatives that can improve the efficiency of what is already an effective and valued building control system…
In my last article I mentioned two major political initiatives that provide an opportunity for building control to demonstrate its value. The 2nd of December saw the announcement of a third. The first of these initiatives was the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment enquiry into Quality in New Build Housing. The last of the verbal evidence sessions was due to be held on the 14th December. Having given evidence on behalf of the ACAI and attended the earlier sessions as an observer and having reviewed the bulk of the written submissions, the enquiries report, due in the New Year, should provide interesting reading.
From a building control point of view one of the main outcomes must be to find a way to communicate better with the general public, particularly the consumers of new build housing, with regard to what building regulations and building control are, but perhaps more importantly, what they are not. Our specific suggestion was to provide more information on the building control process as part of the documentation handed to the new home owner on purchase. This information could also provide more visibility of the process as a whole, perhaps recording who the building control body was, which building regulations were applicable and provide an overview of the site inspection strategy.
We took the opportunity to reinforce how essential an independent third party check was to the compliance process and made a number of recommendations as to how an already effective system could be improved. These recommendations included more clarity surrounding the impartiality of building control bodies, a single regulator for all building control bodies to ensure minimum capability, more flexibility in the enforcement process, a review of Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations and as mentioned above, more visibility regarding the building control process to the consumer, particularly those purchasing a new home.
The second initiative was the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC) strategic review of building control. A working group has now been formed and is developing prioritised recommendations for improving the building control process. The overview is intended to further align and simplify the dual building control process removing confusion for consumers and improving accountability and impartiality of building control bodies.
The latest initiative announced on the 2nd of December is ‘The cutting red tape review of house building’. This review specifically references building regulations and building control with a view to once again reducing the regulatory burden on house builders. Evidence has been called for and the review completes on the 13th January 2016.
It is hoped that with the full engagement of the wider building control profession, these three initiatives can provide a virtuous circle to improve the efficiency of what is already an effective and valued building control system.
Paul Wilkins
Chief Executive at Butler and Young Group
Chairman at Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors (ACAI)
chairman@approvedinspectors.org.uk
