Amendments made to the Building Safety Bill in the House of Lords target a loophole which aims to bring Crown-owned properties in-line with modern construction safety requirements.
Last week, the House of Lords approved amendments to the Bill which would close a loophole that has allowed properties like Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament to remain independent of building regulations.
If the Bill passes, it would mean that these properties would be required to undergo construction projects to bring them in-line with modern fire safety requirements introduced following the Grenfell tragedy, as well as wider building regulations.
Speaking on the amendments, Building Safety Minister Lord Stephen Greenhalgh said that “there should be a consistent approach in how building safety legislation operates across the whole lifecycle of a building,” adding that building and safety regulations should be enforced for all properties, regardless of the owners.
The amendments come following a report that projected the construction costs for bringing the Palace of Westminster in-line with modern safety requirements could be as much as £22 billion.
The Palace still contains asbestos, while work is also needed on plumbing and electrical concerns. The report noted that further investigation will be undertaken this year to identify the full scale of repairs needed to the building.
The Bill has already passed through the House of Commons, and has reached the Committee stage in the House of Lords.
The Building Safety Bill is a proposed piece of legislation that would seek to reform the safety requirements for new homes in the UK. Along with the latest amendments, the Bill would also introduce standardised qualifications and training for building inspectors, training for fire assessors, and a new home ombudsman scheme for properties across the UK.