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The Government has accepted the core principles of Dame Judith Hackitt\u2019s Building Control Independent Panel, which warned the current system is fragmented, inconsistent and exposed to commercial pressure.<\/p>\n
The panel said the present set-up cannot provide consistent assurance that building work is safe, with inspectors battling shortages, uneven enforcement and conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n
Its key recommendation is to end the long-standing right of dutyholders to pick their own building control provider.<\/p>\n
The report states: \u201cIf we were designing a system from first principles, we would not create one that allows dutyholders to choose their own regulator.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ministers have not yet committed to the full ban, but will carry out further analysis and consultation.<\/p>\n
They have promised \u00a355m over three years to build capacity in the registered building inspector workforce, with \u00a35m funding pathfinder schemes in high-growth housing areas where teams are already stretched.<\/p>\n
The panel\u2019s long-term plan would replace nearly 250 local authority building control authorities and around 80 private registered building control approvers with fewer, larger publicly accountable Building Control Bodies.<\/p>\n
These new bodies would take on statutory functions now held by councils, carry out gateway checks for non-high-rise work, act as provider of last resort, issue completion certificates and enforce consistent national processes.<\/p>\n
Private providers and local authority teams could still offer client-facing services, but final allocation and statutory oversight would sit with the new independent bodies.<\/p>\n
The review also calls for the future Single Construction Regulator to be given stronger legal, technical and investigatory powers to support enforcement.<\/p>\n
Private building control approvers would also be handed compliance and stop notice powers to level the playing field with councils.<\/p>\n
The panel warned that enforcement is currently rare and uneven, with local authorities often lacking the resources and legal backing to act.<\/p>\n
It also raised the alarm over a workforce crunch, citing Building Safety Regulator data suggesting the system is already around 2,000 inspectors short, with another 1,500 expected to retire by 2035.<\/p>\n
Ministers are also looking into revising charges to allow full cost recovery across a wider range of building control activities and functions.<\/p>\n
A Digital Building Control Roadmap will be published shortly to improve data sharing, transparency and consistency.<\/p>\n
The Government said future reform must be \u201ccarefully phased and sequenced\u201d to avoid destabilising a system already under pressure.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n