Government launches plans to restructure Ðǿմ«Ã½ Regulations and building control following Ðǿմ«Ã½ magazine campaign

The government has launched plans to modernise the Ðǿմ«Ã½ Regulations, following pressure from the industry, led by Ðǿմ«Ã½ magazine.

Angela Smith, minister for Ðǿմ«Ã½ Regulations, this week published The Future of Ðǿմ«Ã½ Control, outlining how the system can be improved.

Ideas in the paper include:

  • Moving away from a piecemeal approach to Ðǿմ«Ã½ Regulations review and towards a longer fixed-term cycle with planned pauses and a clear indication of future changes
  • Providing greater enforcement powers for local authorities to tackle persistent offenders
  • Providing simple guidance that helps with specific building work or types of problems
  • Finding out how to make sure building control bodies are properly funded into the future.
Angela Smith
Smith: There is a clear case for reform of the building control system

The news marks a victory for Ðǿմ«Ã½, which launched the Reform the Regs campaign last year in response to industry's frustration with the system. The campaign highlighted the fact that building regulations authorties lack a clear vision of the future, have a piecemeal approach to regulatory change and issue over-complex guidance.

Smith said an overhaul of the regulations was essential. She said: “There is a clear case for reform of the building control system. Talks with stakeholders have proved very helpful in giving government a steer on the areas we need to modernise to make as effective and straightforward as it should be.â€

Kate Barker, the Bank of England economist, also called for a fundamental review of the Ðǿմ«Ã½ Regulations in her report on housing supply in 2004.

For a copy of the Future of Ðǿմ«Ã½ Control, go to