NHBC Response to Future of Building Control Consultation

NHBC, the UK's first private sector Approved Inspector, has welcomed the Government's long-awaited consultation on the Future of Building Control.

Neil Cooper, NHBC's Group Head of Building Control, said: ‘Government and industry need to work together to ensure that, moving forwards, we have practical, achievable regulations which meet policy objectives. We particularly welcome the performance management aspects of the consultation which we hope will drive up standards across the industry.

‘NHBC supports the move towards a risk-based inspection model that very much mirrors our own approach, which has been copied across the world. Greater predictability is key in the regulations arena and it is important that we now have a regime which will deliver step changes, but this must be backed up with the right planning and resources from Government.

‘What we must look to in the future is a regime where technical experts drive change rather than policy - building control should be based on sound science, not political expediency. We have an ideal opportunity to move on this agenda by incorporating the Code for Sustainable Homes into Building Regulations now, rather than have it point the way for evolution over time, but we need real will behind this if it is to be done.’

Web: http://www.nhbc.co.uk