Register a New Build High Risk Building (HRB)

Description

The role of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR)

The BSR oversees and approves building work for higher-risk buildings. These are buildings that have at least:

  • 7 storeys or are at least 18 metres high
  • 2 residential units, or are a hospital or care home

A higher-risk building with at least 2 residential units must be registered with the BSR before people live there. When you submit a building control approval application, BSR uses it to check that the:

  • Proposed work will comply with building regulations
  • The client will properly manage the project
  • The client appoints people to work on the project who are competent to do their job

You can find out more about the duties of the client, designers and contractors in the guidance about design and building work meeting building requirements.

Non-higher-risk buildings

Do not apply to the BSR for building control approval for non-higher-risk-buildings. For non-higher-risk buildings:

  • There is a separate process to apply for building regulations approval
  • Building control is managed by either local authorities or businesses registered as building control approvers

The BSR enforces a system of three statutory "gateways" under the Building Safety Act. These gateways are formal regulatory control points at key stages of a high-risk building project. In summary, they mean that a project cannot proceed to the next stage without regulatory approval, ensuring safety is properly considered, evidenced and approved throughout the lifecycle. 

Registration

New high-risk buildings can only be registered with the Building Safety Regulator after Gateway 3 (Completion) has been passed. The Principle Accountable Person (PAP) must make sure the building is registered. A PAP is usually an organisation, therefore the Principle Accountable Person for Imperial owned high-risk buildings is Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine. The Health & Safety Advisor (BSA) is responsible for registration of all Imperial owned HRB's on behalf of the PAP.

Registration can be completed online. Information needed to register:

  • The building name, address and postcode
  • A building summary, including height in metres, number of floors at or above ground level, number of residential units, date of completion and structure and fire safety information. 
  • The names and contact details of the PAP and APS. 

A £251 application fee for each building will need to be paid. 

Engagement

Project Manager to pass the relevant registration information to the BSA Health & Safety Advisor who will register the building on behalf of the Principle Accountable Person. 

Forms & Links

 HRB Regulation 2023: The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023

Register Application: Applying to register a high-rise residential building - GOV.UK

Meeting Building Requirements: Design and building work: meeting building requirements - GOV.UK

Approvals & Compliance Review 

The building cannot be occupied until it has passed Gateway 3 (Completion), been registed with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), and received its completion certificate. It is an offence to occupy a new HRB before it is registered.