Independent Review of Building Control

The Government has launched a call for evidence (closing 29 August 2025) as part of the Building Control Independent Panel review.

The review is looking at how building control should operate in the future, including:

• The balance between public and private sector roles
• Oversight, enforcement, and inspection models
• Skills and capacity in the profession

 Staff and organisations can contribute online via the Government consultation.

Building Safety Regulator (BSR) – Moving to MHCLG

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), currently part of the HSE, will be moving to a new Executive Agency under MHCLG later this year.

• Purpose: Align building safety more closely with housing policy
• Leadership: Andy Roe appointed Chair; Charlie Pugsley Interim CEO
• Impact: No immediate changes, but expect adjustments to processes and reporting lines as the transition takes place from late 2025 onwards.

What this means for us

Keep up to date with the consultation and regulator changes

• Consider sharing views with the Government before the 29 August deadline
• Be prepared for updates to procedures once BSR formally transfers

New Starter Spotlight

👤 Name & Job Title

Anna Mokosa - Registered Building Inspector, Class 2A 2B

🏡 Where are you based?

South-West of England

💼 What will your role involve?

At the moment, I work remotely, mostly supporting North Team in reducing numbers of outstanding Plan Checks. I also carry out inspections around the South-West area.

I also liaise with the duty-holders to ensure that the proposed works are compliant with current building regulations prior start on site.

🔍 Where were you before joining Alpha?

I started my journey in building control 8 years ago as a trainee building surveyor in North Somerset Council where I achieved CIOB Level 5 in Building Control Surveying. It also gave me firsthand experience dealing with dangerous structures, and enforcement procedures which at times were quite stressful. Then, I moved to locally based Cook Brown Building Control where I could fully develop my skills and knowledge in a busy and intense built environment of Bristol. I also worked for ICW Building Control which gave me invaluable experience working on larger residential projects throughout South-West.

🎓 Any qualifications or professional interests?

I started my professional journey in Warsaw, Poland after graduating from Architecture and Built Environment college. When I moved to Bristol in 2008, I achieved BA (hons) in Architecture and Planning, and then finished a postgraduate degree in Building Surveying at UWE. I’m a member of CABE and I’m currently registered as IEngineer through academic accreditation. Personally, for me every day is a school day which is one of the perks of working in a construction industry.

💬 What drew you to Alpha Building Control?

Alpha BC is fairly new on the scene, but it was clear from the start that Joe has a vision of family-oriented organisation which value people’s time and supports them through ongoing communication and strong leadership.

🌟 What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

Christmas Do of course!

On more serious note, being here for more than a month now I can see that everyone is very supportive and communication with a very busy admin is great.

I’m also looking forward to CPD’s and monthly team meetings as working remotely can be lonely at times.

🎯 Any career goals or ambitions?

I’m always up for a challenge therefore the next step will be to achieve Class 2D in competency framework set by BSR last year.

🎨 Tell us something fun or surprising about yourself!

I’m a keen DIYer although I draw a line on plastering as I’m absolutely rubbish at it. I can tile a bathroom, and my plumbing isn’t leaking so I saved few ‘bucks’ along the road of owning a property. Another fun fact about me is that I don’t watch TV and surprisingly I still don’t have enough hours in a day to do what I would like to. I’m also a keen gym goer and I love dancing!

We Need Your Feedback!

Your thoughts really matter. Feedback isn’t just a box to tick — it’s how we make our processes better, smoother, and more effective for everyone. We’ve been asking for your input on our procedures and processes, but we’re hearing very little.

Even a few minutes of your time can help us identify what’s working, what’s confusing, and what could be improved. Honest, constructive feedback helps us make decisions that benefit the whole team — and it’s completely anonymous if you want it to be!

Please take a moment to share your views — your voice truly makes a difference.

⭐ Star of the Month July – Sarah Woodford

Star of the Month for July 25, we want to recognise Sarah Woodford for going above and beyond in her role as Member of the Southern Team. In spite of a heavy workload, which is a result of her willingness to help, Sarah has been recognised by customers for going above and beyond, she is always willing to go that extra mile to support her fellow team members, and always has a smile in spite of long stressful days. Congratulations Sarah! 

🎄 Christmas Conference – 9 Dec 2025

Save the date! Details coming soon…

🛠 Supporting Competence Development – Upcoming Workshops

10 Sep (Provisional) - Commercial Workshop (To help achieve Class 2D or above)

22 Sep - The Organised Inspector - Sort It, Save It, Smash It: File & Project Mastery for Inspectors

If you have any suggestions for Technical Workshops, please reach out to Aaron!

📚 The Reg Spot

Good regulation relies on good communication and transparency. One area where effective pre-application discussions can prevent issues later is the distinction between planning drawings, Building Reg drawings and the role of the Principal Designer.

Key Point:

Submitting planning drawings does not automatically make someone the Principal Designer, nor does it ensure that dutyholder responsibilities are being met. Dutyholders must be formally appointed before the construction phase and must fully understand their responsibilities as identified under Part 2A of the Building Regulations - It is a requirement of an RBI and RBCA to ensure appointments etc are in place through Regulation 4 (Functions) of the RBCA Regulations. 

There have been instances where designers have produced planning drawings without being formally appointed as the Principal Designer. Furthermore, the planning drawings are not sufficient to check for compliance. 

During pre-application advice, RRBIs should:

• Clarify when drawings are intended they are Building Regulation submissions showing compliance with the applicable regulations.
• Ensure there is an appointed Principal Designer responsible for the design work and the relevant duties under Part 2A.

It is worth noting that some professional bodies, such as RIBA, advise members not to sign certain declarations. Alpha Building Control does not agree with this stance, as the legislation is clear.

Example in Practice:

A project involved an extension where only planning drawings were submitted as building reg drawings and the Principal Designer role had not been formally appointed by the client. Although Regulation 11C (2) automatically assigns PD responsibilities during the design phase, the designer refused to sign the declaration. This resulted in the project being reverted to local authority control because the declaration was missing, causing the IN to lapse given occupation.

Learning Points

This could have been avoided had it been made clear of relevant appointments before the works started with early discussion about planning drawings and formal dutyholder appointments.

Reminder:

Always check that:

• Dutyholders are in place and a PD is formally appointed where required.
• Submissions clearly differentiate between planning approval and building control compliance.
• All parties understand their roles to prevent disputes or gaps in regulatory responsibility.

Procedure:

Follow the legislation and  internal flowcharts for design and submission checks. Also note Barnbrook provides a reminder to check dutyholders are in position. 

Next time you quote or receive planning drawings, ask:

“Are all dutyholders correctly appointed, and do the drawings clearly reflect their responsibilities?”