Our Director and Founder took to the stage to share insights on the evolving impact of the Building Safety Act, a landmark piece of legislation reshaping the industry’s approach to safety, accountability, and innovation. The pavilion was packed with professionals from across the built environment-developers, architects, engineers, and policymakers-all eager to engage in meaningful dialogue.
As the industry continues to navigate the complexities of regulatory reform, six key reflections emerged from the discussions-each highlighting the need for clarity, collaboration, and innovation in how we approach building safety.
1. Better Guidance Is Urgently Needed
While the Regulator’s role is not to “mark their own homework,” the absence of a clear structure and approval process is creating friction. Introducing pre-application meetings and a more transparent framework would benefit both industry professionals and regulatory teams-saving time and reducing frustration.
2. Gateway Submissions Must Be Thorough
With an increasing number of schemes being rejected, the focus must shift to what we can control: robust Gateway 2 applications. A well-prepared compliance statement is essential-it must identify, justify, and clearly explain the design intent, addressing all relevant sections from Parts A to T of the Building Regulations.
3. Collaboration Is Essential
Industry feedback is consistent: developers, contractors, and consultants are often left waiting for months after submission validation. The Regulator must break down silos and work collaboratively with appointed multidisciplinary teams to streamline approvals and ensure safe, timely delivery.
4. Learn from Others: Conditional/Staged Discharges
Scotland and Ireland offer successful models of staged building regulation submissions, approved throughout construction. Much like planning permissions, conditions are discharged at key stages-pre-commencement, pre-installation, and pre-occupation. This flexible approach works. Why not adopt it here?
5. Gateway 3 Is a High-Risk Point
Final approvals must not be left until the end of a build. Without staged sign-offs, we risk completed homes sitting empty, waiting for clearance. Multiply that across schemes, and we’re looking at thousands of delayed homes, escalating costs, and stalled delivery.
6. Delays Are Unsustainable
The current pace of approvals is no longer viable. These delays are costing jobs, slowing housing delivery, and impacting the wider economy. We must work with the Regulator—not against them-to find smarter, more efficient solutions that uphold safety without sacrificing momentum.
A Call for Continued Dialogue
No new system is perfect-these are teething issues, yes-but they must be addressed. There is real urgency, and the construction and real estate sectors are ready to engage in further dialogue and action with the Regulator.
Pareto remains committed to driving progress, fostering collaboration, and championing safe, sustainable development across the UK.
