The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2025 and related regulations (WGC 002/2026)

Circular number: WGC 002/2026

Date issued: 6 January 2026

Status: For information

Title: The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2025 and related regulations

Issued by: Julia Ashford – Building Safety/Building Regulations Policy

Addressed to: 

Local Authority Chief Executives
Welsh Local Government Association 
Local Authority Building Control
Association of Building Control Approvers

Please forward to:

Local Authority Building Control Officers
Members of the Senedd

Summary: 

The purpose of this Circular is to draw attention to the making of regulations that introduce new procedural requirements for higher-risk building work in Wales.

For further information contact:

Building Regulations Team
Welsh Government Offices
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ  

Direct line: 0300 062 5223
E-mail: enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales
Website: building and planning 

1. I am directed by the Welsh Ministers to draw your attention to the changes introduced by the following Regulations which come into force on 01 July 2026: the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2025 and the Building Safety Act 2022 (Commencement No. 6) (Wales) Regulations 2025.
    
2. The purpose of this Circular is to draw attention to the new secondary legislation and introduce the changes it brings.
    
3. These Regulations form a critical part of the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022 in Wales and introduce a new procedural framework for building control in relation to higher-risk buildings (HRBs).
    
4. The Regulations aim to improve safety, transparency, and accountability in the design and construction of HRBs. They establish a comprehensive approval and oversight process for higher-risk building work, to enhance safety from initial design to final completion of building work.

5. This circular applies to all stakeholders involved in higher-risk building work in Wales, including:

• designers, contractors, and people who have building work carried out (clients)
• local authorities
• fire safety enforcing authorities
• the sewerage undertaker

6. It outlines the key provisions introduced by the Regulations including transitional arrangements.

7. Building Control Approval Process

Regulations 3 to 17 introduce a new requirement for formal building control approval before any higher-risk building work can commence. This includes:

• submission of detailed applications with plans, new prescribed documentation, and competence declarations.
• statutory consultation with fire authorities and sewerage undertakers.
• defined timeframes for validation and decision-making (12 weeks for new HRB, 8 weeks for work to an existing HRB), ensuring timely oversight and transparency.
• the new prescribed documents are intended to enhance the decision-making and record-keeping during design and construction. The required content is described in Schedule 1 of the regulations.

8. Change Control Mechanism

Regulations 18 to 30 introduce a structured system for managing changes during construction. Changes are categorised as:

• recordable changes – minor adjustments logged for record-keeping.
• notifiable changes – changes requiring notification and documentation updates.
• major changes – significant alterations requiring formal approval. This ensures that safety-critical decisions are properly assessed and documented, maintaining the integrity of the original design.

9. Golden Thread and Handover of Information

Regulations 31, 37 and 38 ensure dutyholders must maintain a digital “golden thread” of building information. This record must be:

• accurate, secure, and up to date.
• accessible and transferable in a readable format. It supports informed decision-making and helps to ensure continuity of safety information throughout the building’s life.
• The Golden Thread, and other information, must be handed over to the person responsible for the safety of the building once work is complete.

10. Mandatory Occurrence Reporting

Regulations 32 to 36 allow for a new system which is required for reporting safety-related incidents during construction. Principal dutyholders must:

• establish and maintain a reporting system.
• ensure prompt notification and documentation of safety occurrences. This promotes a proactive safety culture, enables early intervention and identification of wide-spread issues across the sector.

11. Completion and Partial Completion Certificates

Regulations 39 to 44 set out procedures for certifying completed higher-risk building work:

• applications must reflect the “as built” condition of the building.
• building control authorities must inspect work and consult relevant bodies before issuing certificates.
• partial completion certificates allow parts of buildings to be certified and occupied before full completion, subject to specific conditions.

12. Regularisation and Appeals

• Regulation 46 creates a mechanism for retrospective approval of unauthorised work, ensuring that safety standards are met even after work has been completed.
• Regulations 47 to 55 allows applicants to seek a determination from Welsh Ministers under section 30A of the Building Act 1984 if a building control authority fails to make a decision within the prescribed timeframe.

13. Transitional Provisions, miscellaneous amendments and exemptions

• Part 7 of the Regulations cover miscellaneous subjects such as work which is exempt from the procedural building regulations, further detail about enforcement provisions, consequential amendments to other regulations and transitional provisions.
• The Regulations include transitional arrangements within Schedule 3 for projects already underway before the new regime begins on 1 July 2026. The existing building regulations will continue to apply to such projects, so they will not be subject to the new requirements.

14. To enable the continued implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022 these Regulations bring into force certain provisions of Part 3 (amendments to the Building Act 1984) and of Schedule 5 of the 2022 Act in relation to Wales.

15. The full Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment is available on the Senedd Website. Stakeholders are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and prepare for implementation.
     
16. We intend to publish further guidance on the implementation of the Regulations in due course.

Any enquiries on this Circular Letter should be addressed to:

Mark Tambini
Building Regulations
Welsh Government
Rhydycar
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1UZ

E mail: enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales