An architect has lodged a complaint against the Building Safety Regulator over an application for a minor residential scheme which is due to take a year to complete.
Liam Russell, who runs Brighton-based firm LRA Retinue, described the process of the application for a new internal wall in an existing flat as “deeply disappointing”.
Writing on LinkedIn this week, Russell said: “There absolutely needs to be robust scrutiny of works within higher-risk buildings. We support that, and much of our work is built around helping clients and design teams navigate precisely this regime.
“But proportionality, consistency and timely decision-making matter too… It is therefore deeply disappointing to see a process that started with such promise becoming increasingly difficult for competent clients and design teams to navigate. Something needs to change.”
Russell said the firm first submitted an application in November 2025, but had been beset by errors and miscommunication in the following months. LRA Retinue wrote to the BSR in August highlighting some of these, for which the BSR apologised.
His LinkedIn post attracted comments from some in the industry who also expressed frustration with the process, with one describing it as “tortuous” and another saying “a year for one internal wall is madness”.
‘Minor alterations need a more agile approach’
A spokesperson for the BSR said: “We apologise to the applicant for the delays experienced with this application for their home, and we are reviewing the case to resolve it as quickly as possible.
“While our priority remains robust safety oversight across all higher-risk buildings, we recognise that minor alterations need a more agile approach.
“This case highlights precisely why we have engaged with recent government consultations on categorisation and building control, aimed at improving proportionality and streamlining pathways for smaller-scale works without compromising safety standards.”
