The government has launched an urgent national consultation aiming to streamline emergency and critical remedial works on Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs) under the Building Safety Act 2022 framework.
Under existing regime requirements, dutyholders and building owners must obtain formal prior approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) before undertaking any major structural, fire safety, or envelope alterations on residential buildings over 18 metres in height or seven storeys. However, feedback from housing providers, main contractors, and safety managers highlighted that rigid Gateway 2 pre-approval timescales create severe operational bottlenecks when unexpected structural defects or immediate water ingress issues arise.
The proposed regulatory update introduces a broadened emergency works exemption permitting immediate, temporary repairs to proceed without advance regulatory consent where there is an imminent threat to life safety or structural integrity. Additionally, the consultation sets out a streamlined “critical works route” that allows urgent permanent repairs to be undertaken subject to retrospective BSR notification and regularisation within a strictly defined post-completion window.