Building Safety Theme Group Releases New Advice Note on Building Safety Act

The Constructing Excellence Midlands Building Safety Theme Group has published a new advice note titled ‘Implications of the Building Safety Act During Early Stages of Land Development.’ This guidance document aims to provide industry professionals with essential insights into the evolving regulatory landscape, ensuring that safety considerations are embedded at the earliest stages of development.
Introduction
The Building Safety Act (BSA) was introduced in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which exposed systemic failures in the construction industry. The subsequent Grenfell Report revealed that a decline in external oversight, coupled with increased internal responsibility for build quality, compliance, and health and safety, created a dangerous imbalance. A significant issue identified was the conflict of interest faced by teams responsible for both enforcing safety standards and managing cost-cutting measures—an issue that had long been overlooked.
The BSA has far-reaching implications, affecting the entire construction lifecycle, from land acquisition and planning to the ongoing maintenance of occupied buildings. The new advice note emphasizes that compliance should not be treated as a simple “tick-box” exercise but must be approached with genuine commitment to improving safety, mitigating risks, and maintaining industry credibility.
Guidance for Developers and Landowners
Developers and landowners now have a legal and ethical responsibility to integrate safety considerations from the earliest stages of land development. The advice note serves as a practical resource, offering best practices, compliance strategies, and risk management frameworks to support stakeholders in meeting the BSA’s requirements.
This document is the first in a series designed to promote collaboration among industry practitioners and regulatory experts. It highlights key financial and legal responsibilities, ensuring that stakeholders work collectively to drive positive change while maintaining commercial viability.
Expert Contributions and Leadership
The CE Midlands Building Safety Theme Group, chaired by Richard Cymler, has worked diligently to develop this guidance, with expert contributions from:
- Dr Amrit Sagoo – Head of Department, Nottingham Trent University
- Emma Britton – Senior Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University
- Jaspreet Lall – Project Manager, Carter Jonas
Their collective expertise has ensured that the document provides a comprehensive and informed perspective on the challenges and opportunities presented by the BSA.
For further details, please refer to the full document HERE