On 26 February 2025, in a Ministerial statement in the House of Commons, Angela Rayner commented on the Phase 2 report and noted that the Government accepts its findings and all 58 recommendations, including all 37 directed at the Government, would be taken forward.
Devonshires' breakdown of the Phase 2 Report's conclusions can be found here.
Following the parliamentary session, the full response was published its response to the Phase 2 Grenfell Inquiry Report, setting out its commitment to reforming the regulatory regime and taking decisive action to implement effective change.
Key outcomes of the response include:
- The creation of a single regulator. This proposal is accepted in principle and the construction regulator, along with a chief construction advisor, will be 'implemented immediately';
- A new definition of 'higher-risk building'. The BSR has conducted an initial review and an updated definition is expected 'summer 2025';
- Approved Document B to be reviewed and revised with up to date, coherent guidance with initial findings to be published 'summer 2025' and full recommendations in 2026;
- A statutory requirement that fire safety strategy is produced by a registered fire engineer and that it is submitted as part of building control approval. The BSR will produce guidance on this in due course;
- A legal obligation for all manufacturers of construction products will need to provide the construction regulator with full testing history of the product to which the certificate relates. Testing results will be accessible and free of charge. Further construction product measures are set out in the Government's green paper, also published on 25 February 2025;
- The fire engineering profession to be recognised by law and regulated to define standards, with a maintained register;
- A mandatory accreditation to certify the competency of fire risk assessors will be required by legislation; and
- A new statutory requirement for building control approval applications to be supported by a statement from a senior manager of the Building Regulations principal designer that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure the building will be as safe as required. The Government intends to go further than the report's recommendations and require it to apply to all building control routes, not just higher-risk buildings.
The building safety regime has already undergone upheaval in recent years, but it is clear that this has just been the groundwork for further future changes. New legal duties will mean greater accountability and will promote a significant shift in the was building safety is regulated.
While full details of the changes are not yet known, there is clear appetite for these changes to be affected as soon as possible. Watch this space for future updates on all the relevant topics.
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