The future of the Building Control sector in the UK is set be reformed, being a key part of the Government’s Building Safety Programme.
NHBC, along with other leading organisations have formed the “Future of Building Control Working Group”, which has been formed to develop key recommendations for the regulation of building control and its associated bodies.
So far the group has made 11 proposals which NHBC considers to be “a starting point for further dialogue with government and the Building Safety Regulator as to how best to protect the public interest by making sure the sector further improves competence amongst professionals and organisations”.
Following discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the group has made the following recommendations:
- Steps to simplify and unify building control legislation, process and procedures
- An independent designated body to oversee professional registration and organisational audit
- Introduction of a new competence framework to cover all people working in building control including those on higher risk buildings in scope of the new regulator
- A unified pan-industry Code of Conduct for all building control bodies and professionals
- A unified pan-industry career structure to set clear expectations of competence across the building control sector.
Other industry bodies that form part of the new group are Chartered Association of Building Engineers, Construction Industry Council, Chartered Institute of Building and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The group said: “These recommendations are a potentially key part of the reform of the construction sector. They suggest a consistent plan to make sure building control professionals and the bodies they work for are competent and effective.
“We are all committed to working together to further improve the essential public protections building control delivers. These proposals will help everyone to have confidence building control is working first and foremost in the interest of their safety, welfare and in supporting development of an inclusive and sustainable built environment.”