Independent report

Housing standards review: towards more sustainable homes

This report sets out the housing standards review challenge panel’s views on the current system of building regulations and housing standards.

Documents

Housing standards review: towards more sustainable homes

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Details

The report looks at the panel’s aspirations for the review and their response to the outcomes of the housing standards review process and working group proposals.

The challenge panel are 4 independent advisers from across the construction sector who were commissioned by the government to review the current system of building regulations and standards for housing in England and to advise on how the regulatory system can be improved to work more efficiently.

They were tasked with critically examining the complex system of voluntary and other standards that local authorities are currently able to apply in local plan policies and through planning conditions, to comment on and, if appropriate, challenge the outcomes of the Housing Standards Review Group (HSRG) during the review process. They were given freedom to comment more widely on the regulatory process outside of the HSRG terms of reference.

The housing standards review was a fundamental review of the building regulations framework and voluntary housing standards. It aimed to significantly rationalise the large number of codes, standards, rules, regulations and guidance that add unnecessary cost and complexity to the house-building process.

A consultation on the proposals is available for download.

Updates to this page

Published 20 August 2013

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