Building safety: Navigating a changing landscape

Building safety is no longer just a compliance issue. It has become a critical legal, commercial and strategic consideration for anyone involved in the built environment. As regulation continues to evolve, developers, landlords, investors, contractors and advisers face increasing scrutiny, new responsibilities and a growing need to stay ahead of change.

In our four-part Building Safety vlog series, we explore the latest developments shaping the sector, including the new Welsh building safety regime, second staircase requirements, the proposed Remediation Bill, and the Building Safety Levy. Through practical insights and expert commentary, we explain what these changes mean in practice and how organisations can prepare for the next phase of reform.

Watch the series below to understand the risks, opportunities and actions that matter most in today’s building safety environment.

Introduction

Episode one: The introduction of the Building Safety (Wales) Act 2026

It’s been four years since the introduction of The Building Safety Act in England, and we now have the start of a new regime in Wales. It is key to ensure that we know where the similarities end and the differences start. In this vlog we will be looking at the key differences between the English and the Welsh Building Safety Acts.

Episode two: The second staircase requirement

From 30 September 2026, all new residential buildings in England over 18 metres will need to include a second staircase, subject to transitional arrangements for schemes that are already “sufficiently progressed”.

The second staircase requirement stems directly from the Grenfell Tower fire, which raised urgent questions about whether single-staircase high-rise residential buildings provided adequate means of escape in an emergency.

The implementation of a firm policy position on the matter is being delivered through amendments to Approved Document B and is one of the most significant design and viability issues currently facing residential schemes above the 18 metre threshold.

In this vlog, we what the second staircase mandate means in practice for developers, funders, designers, contractors, investors and those advising on affected schemes.

Episode three: The Building Safety Levy

The 1 October 2026 marks the start of the introduction of the Building Safety Levy which will apply to new residential developments in England. In part three in our BSA series we look at what the Building Safety Levy means, when it applies and when it doesn’t, and what the implications may be for developments.

Episode four: The Remediation Bill

Just over nine years on from the Grenfell Tower Fire, there remain many buildings with serious fire safety issues. Ensuring that remediation progresses more effectively is critically important and the Remediation Bill which is the next piece of the legislative jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put in place. The Bill is not yet published, so the detail including the statutory mechanics remain to be seen. However, the direction of travel is clear: unsafe cladding remediation is moving from policy pressure to statutory intent. This vlog discusses what this shift means for the industry.