The City of London could play a co-ordinating role for the whole of the capital under the new building-safety regime that is due to come into force later this year.

In response to 2017’s Grenfell Tower disaster, the new Building Safety Regulator will become the building-control authority responsible for all new applications for so-called “high risk” buildings. They are defined as buildings of seven or more storeys, or structures that are 18m tall or higher, and which have two or more homes. Hospitals and care homes also fall into the ”high risk” category when they are tall enough.

Under the new system, set out in the Building Safety Act 2022, applications for building-regulation consent will go directly to the BSR, rather than local authorities or private building-control approvers.

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