The introduction of the Building Safety Act marks a watershed moment in the United Kingdom’s approach to high-rise buildings.

The new legislation has been driven by the catastrophe of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which took the lives of 72 people. It is a once-in-a-generation change to the regulatory framework, which seeks to place an emphasis on safety for residents and accountability on developers, contractors, designers and managers of high-risk buildings. The Act covers buildings that are at least 18 metres tall, or have a minimum of seven storeys, and contain at least two residential units. Its scope also includes care homes or hospitals that meet the same height threshold.

In breaking fresh ground, the Building Safety Act imposes significant compliance obligations on developers, as well as investors eyeing up the development landscape.

The Building Safety Regulator

Under the new Act, a regulatory body has been created