Previous regulations were applied in the 1940s, and it was felt that changes in construction and the law had reduced the effectiveness of the old rules.
The new rules dictate that building work must now be checked by a building control body for compliance with the Building Regulations. Work can be seen by a local authorities building control department, or an approved inspector.
Also, the DETR and the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) had two sets of building requirements which were very similar, and it made little sense to have separate approval systems.
One of the other reasons for the change involves alterations to local authority staffing. Local education authorities have lost the in-house skills to draw on for the construction and modification of schools. Such roles have now largely been outsourced.
After the DfEE consultation, 97% of respondents agreed that checks for compliance with national standards should be made by a qualified or competent party. And 87% of respondents said the best way to ensure compliance with national standards is to make use of the normal building controls systems.
Further information on the new rules can be found on the DfEE's architects and building website: www.dfee.gov.uk/schbldgs/reg.html
Source
Building Sustainable Design
