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I know this not just from industry conversation, but from direct experience. One of our customers recently contacted their supply chain to establish who was prepared to meet the upcoming compliance requirements, and could share third-party test certificates. Only two out of ten suppliers knew what they were talking about. That is concerning.
This July, ABB welcomed guests to an open panel discussion on the topic, featuring experts from CIBSE Fire Safety Group, Skanska, and the BCIA. Here are some of the key points covered during the session.
What is changing, and when
The Building Safety Regulator( BSR) moved out of the Health & Safety Executive( HSE) and became a standalone arm’ s-length body in January 2026. The Building Regulations( Amendment)( England) Regulations 2026 were made in March 2026, with main compliance applying from 24 March 2027, and Higher-Risk Building( HRB) provisions from 24 September 2027.
The Act applies to all building work and creates a new, more rigorous regime for HRBs, extending the duties of the Client, Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, and introducing the concept of Accountable Persons. The Accountable Person is the individual or organisation legally responsible for managing building safety risks during occupation. They must register the building, maintain the Golden Thread, and face personal criminal liability for failures.
It’ s essentially bumping the standard way up from‘ installed to spec’, to‘ proven to be competent, coordinated and compliant.’
The Gateway process is stricter
Gateway 2 is a hard stop before construction. Construction cannot begin without BSR approval, full design information must be submitted, BSR compliance must be demonstrated, and fire and structural safety decisions must be justified.
The changes to legislation mean that design must be fully understood much earlier in the process. For a Building Control submission, design effectively equals RIBA Stage 2. For a Gateway 2 BSR submission, it effectively equals RIBA Stage 4- including contractor design portions. This needs to be factored into cost and programme, as more work must be undertaken and coordinated upfront to avoid delays caused by changes during the build.
At Gateway 3, the hard stop before occupation, the BSR inspects the completed building, a completion certificate is required,
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