鈥榃e do not understand that mindset,鈥� group chaired by Judith Hackitt admits

A committee set up to oversee the transition to a new building safety regime has criticised developers for proceeding with buildings designed to older standards.  

In its fourth report to the housing secretary, the Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG) said that while it had seen good examples of best practice, there were actors that 鈥渟till need to do a lot more to commit to building safety鈥�. 

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The steering group is chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt

The group, which was established in 2018 and is chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, said it was 鈥渄eeply concerned by the actions of some developers where we have seen hard evidence of them continuing to proceed without considering safety in the early stages of a building鈥檚 design and continuing with the construction of buildings to standards which they know will change very soon鈥�. 

The report continued: 鈥淣ot only is it disappointing that they are failing to 鈥榙o the right thing鈥� but we do not understand the mindset when they may well face serious challenge from the regulator before the building is handed over for occupation and/or they may be creating future need for remediation work.鈥� 

It welcomed some progress in the broader transition to a new safety regime, including the publication of the Morrell/Day report on product safety, and said it was working with the financial community to explore how it might influence developers to behave more responsibly. 

It also criticised the sector for a lack of 鈥渞eal substantive ownership and leadership鈥�. 

The group said it observed a 鈥渨idespread culture of reliance鈥� with businesses 鈥渆xpecting to be told step-by-step by government and the regulator how to keep buildings safe鈥�. 

It added: 鈥淐ontinuing to wait for the regulations or assessors to 鈥榗atch them out鈥� or highlight grave errors still seems to be the norm,鈥� it said, accusing some of exhibiting an approached focused on minimal compliance. 

鈥淚t is deeply disappointing to see and hear of examples of developers proceeding with the build of high-rise buildings with single staircases simply because the plans were passed ahead of the new planning gateway.  

鈥淎ctions like this show little regard for the future gateways in the process which they know are coming.鈥�