More than 200 large panel system (LPS) tower blocks have been identified as requiring intensive safety-risk management by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the regulator told Construction News <\/em>that since April last year, it had identified 202 LPS blocks within the first priority higher-risk building (HRB) group that require a Building Assessment Certificate (BAC).<\/p>\n The regulator committed to direct HRB owners in the initial priority group to apply for a BAC by 31 March.<\/p>\n The owners – ‘principal accountable persons’ – then have 28 days to apply for a certificate once contacted by the BSR.<\/p>\n On Friday (28 March), a BSR spokesperson told CN <\/em>that the regulator had received a 93 per cent response rate from a dataset of more than 1,400 buildings that include blocks with ACM cladding as well as LPS towers.<\/p>\n The spokesperson said: \u201cBSR is actively investigating the small number of cases where safety case reports have not been received and will take the appropriate enforcement action where necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanctions available include an uncapped fine, imprisonment of up to two years \u201cand a further fine of \u00a3200 per day after conviction until the BAC application is submitted\u201d, Mark London, senior partner at law firm Devonshires, told CN<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intended purpose is not to investigate potential breaches of the Building Regulations by [the original] contractors or subcontractors,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n