The Building Safety Act Wales

The Building Safety Act did not initially extend to Wales. However, the Welsh Government voted to adopt the Act into Welsh legislation and announced that Mark Tambini had joined the Welsh Government Building Regulations Team as Head of Building Regulations Policy.

The Welsh Government has powers to make changes to the building control system in Wales. Their white paper "Safer Buildings in Wales" outlines plans to address issues in the design, construction, and occupation stages. While aligned with the principles of the UK Act, it is tailored to Welsh circumstances. Parts of the Act apply directly to Wales, including provisions related to the New Homes Ombudsman and the Construction Products Regulator.

The Welsh Government is developing its own Building Safety Bill. In response to the consultation on the Higher-Risk Building (HRB) definition, they confirmed that in Wales, an HRB is a building of 18 metres or more, or more than seven storeys, with a single residential unit (as opposed to two or more in England).

Additionally, various standards, codes, and rules for the new building control system in Wales, set to start in April 2024, have been published. Notably, Wales is the first UK nation to establish a remediation pathway for all buildings over 11 metres facing fire safety issues.