Building control approval for higher-risk buildings

This new guidance explains how to apply for building control approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to construct, or carry out building work on, a higher-risk building. It has been updated to include guidance on the building safety levy.

Explaining the role of the BSR, it is noted that the regulator oversees and approves building work for higher-risk buildings (HRBs). These are buildings that have at least:

• 7 storeys or are at least 18 metres high
• 2 residential units or are a hospital or a care home.

A higher-risk building with at least two residential units must be registered with BSR before people live there.

When submitting a building control approval application, BSR use it to check that the proposed work will comply with building regulations, that the client properly manage the project, and that the client appoints people to work on the project who are competent to do their job.

BSR is also responsible for collecting information from the building control application for a building safety levy assessment. This is passed on to the local council or other collecting authority so it can be assessed in terms of whether the building levy needs to be paid and so the amount can be calculated.

The guidance addresses:

• Who must apply for building control approval.
• When to get building control approval.
• Building work that does not need building control approval.
• Applying to construct a new higher-risk building.
• Applying to carry out building work on an existing higher-risk building.
• Emergency repairs to an existing higher-risk building.
• After applying.
• Application decisions.
• Expiry of building control approval.
• Managing building work after approval.
• Making changes to the project after approval.
• Completion certificates.
• Charges.