FIS LAUNCHES NEW TRAINING MODULE TO SUPPORT CHANGES IN WELSH BUILDING REGULATION
FIS has launched a short, targeted e-learning module: The Building Safety Act Wales 2026 to help contractors, designers and specialists prepare for significant changes to building regulations in Wales coming into force on 1st July 2026. From that date, a new building safety regime will come into force in Wales, introducing fundamental changes to how building work is regulated, approved and enforced. While closely aligned with the principles of the Building Safety Act 2022 introduced in England, the Welsh system is not identical and will operate through different regulators, processes and documentation requirements. What is changing in Wales? Wales is introducing a dutyholderled regulatory framework that applies to all regulated building work, with additional and more stringent requirements for higherrisk buildings (HRBs). The system has strong parallels with the English regime, but there are important practical differences that contractors, designers and specialists need to understand.
• Replacement of the traditional “deposit of plans” system with a new applicationbased building control approval process • Strengthened enforcement powers, including compliance notices, stop notices and extended enforcement periods • A separate staged approval system for higherrisk buildings, administered through local authority building control rather than a Building Safety Regulator A significant difference from the English system is that Wales has not created a standalone Building Safety Regulator. Higherrisk buildings and enforcement remain within the jurisdiction of local authority building control, with different approval routes, statutory declarations and appeal mechanisms. The Welsh regime also defines higherrisk buildings more broadly, capturing buildings with at least one residential unit as well as hospitals and care homes with overnight stays. What the FIS Wales 2026 module covers The new FIS training module is targeted at those who have already completed the Introduction to the Building Safety Act and now need to understand how the Welsh system works in practice. It provides:
Key features of the Welsh regime include:
• A dutyholder framework similar to England, applying to clients, designers, contractors, principal designers and principal contractors • Mandatory competence requirements for individuals and organisations carrying out design or building work
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