From regulation to reality: shared perspectives on the Building Safety Act

We recently collaborated with Kier Places to host two breakfast briefing events titled ‘The Building Safety Act: From Regulation to Reality’, held on 16^th April at Eversheds Sutherland in Leeds and on 13^th May at Sustainable Ventures, County Hall, Waterloo. The events brought together engineering, legal, building control and contractor expertise to share practical guidance on navigating the new regime.

Construction on higher-risk buildings cannot legally begin without Building Safety Regulator (BSR) Gateway 2 approval. Delays push back sales launches, leave contractors carrying idle costs, increase finance overheads and heighten legal and reputational risk. Cladding remediation deadlines fall in 2029 for buildings of 18 metres and above, and 2031 for those between 11 and 18 metres, adding further commercial pressure on owners, lenders and main contractors.

The mornings covered Higher-Risk Building (HRB) requirements, the BSR Gateway process, duty-holder competence and the Golden Thread of information.

John Hudson of Kier Places opened proceedings, before David Aitchison, Head of Building Control Consultancy at Broste Rivers, set out Building Regulations requirements, duty-holder responsibilities and how to navigate the BSR.

Our own Surabhi Prasad spoke on delivering compliant, cost-effective structural solutions through Gateway 2. Sarah Maylor of Eversheds Sutherland covered the legal landscape, and Clive Pople of Kier Places shared lessons from live HRB projects. The panel and audience Q&A were chaired by our Rachel Davis.

Surabhi Prasad, Senior Structural Engineer, said: “The Building Safety Act represents a positive cultural shift for our industry, encouraging us to rethink how we design, deliver, and evidence the safety of buildings at each project stage.Treating it as a regulatory overlay or certifying practical completion prior to Gateway approval, introduces unnecessary risks. Early engagement with relevant subcontractors, supported by collaboration within the design team and the early identification of key issues, helps clients progress through Gateway 2 with confidence.”

Clive Pople added: “Working through the realities of the Act day-to-day, we know early collaboration with engineers, designers and the regulator is essential. Pushing risk down the supply chain or treating the Golden Thread lightly creates problems that show up later. Partnering with Perega on this event reflects our shared commitment to getting the detail right and supporting clients through every Gateway.”

We work with clients across the commercial, residential, healthcare, care homes and retirement living sectors on HRB requirements, cladding remediation and Gateway 2 submissions. Further joint events with Kier Places and other industry partners are planned later in the year.