The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will be scrutinising how contractors manage their supply chains on major projects as they move from Gateway 2 approval to Gateway 3 completion.
BSR chair Andy Roe said the control of subcontractors was crucial to ensure the quality of delivery matched the design.
In a press briefing this week, Roe said the body was keen to avoid delays in the build phase of the gateway process. “We are going to be looking very, very closely at how you manage your subcontractors and the level of quality in that build process,” he said.
He added that the general standards of design going through Gateway 2 were good, although there was a lack of a consistent approach in aspects such as design, fire and ventilation.
Regulation to ensure competence
Roe said a proposed single construction regulator could address some of these historic issues and poor practices by scrutinising professional competence across a range of industry roles.
In the briefing, the regulator reported higher Gateway 2 approval rates and shorter determination periods and praised the industry for its engagement and commitment to the process.
Roe said BSR was already in “very close conversations” with government on new prime minister Andy Burnham’s ambition to significantly increase council housebuilding. Angela Rayner returned to her previous job as housing secretary in the cabinet reshuffle following Burnham becoming PM on Monday. She replaces Steve Reed as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.
Any increase in council housing work would need to be procured very differently to previous council housing expansions given the lack of in-house resources in local authorities, added Roe.
