Construction industry timeline

This page has been created to highlight key events in the construction industry, such as changes in policy, legislation etc. The oldest items appear last.

[edit] 2024

6 April 2024 six month building safety transition period ends and new building control regime introduced including registered building control approvers (in place of the approved inspector), registered building inspectors; and new duty-holder requirements become fully operational.

2 April 2024 Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for smaller developments went live, requiring all sites to provide a BNG of at least 10% in England.

12 February 2024 Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for major developments went live, requiring developers to provide a BNG of at least 10% for larger new developments in England..

January 17 2024, the mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulations took effect, impacting most new developments in England.

[edit] 2023

1 October 2023 the new regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings came into force, and the Building Safety Regulator became the building control authority for higher-risk buildings, subject to transitional arrangements.

[edit] 2022

31 December 2022. Coronavirus planning rules to protect theatres, concert halls and music venues end.

15 June 2022 the changes published in December 2021 come into effect for all new buildings ( except those already being processed): Part L volume 1 and 2 and Part F have been revised, and a new Part O relating to overheating has been introduced, as well as a new Part S relating to electric vehicle charging.

28 April 2022, the Building Safety Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament; the Building Safety Act 2022.

1 April 2022. Rules on use of red diesel change.

31 March 2022. ECO3 scheme ends.

January 2022. BSEN 13240 is being replaced by BSEN 16510 under the Eco Design Directive 2009/1185/6. The new legislation will be implemented in September 2018, and the deadline for testing emissions limits is January 2022.

[edit] 2021

31 December 2021, Transition period for materials and manufactured items which already have CE marking ends.

31 December 2021, the Architectural Technician grade, TCIAT will be withdrawn.

20 May 2021, BSI PAS 9980 consultation closes.

April 2021, IR35 new duties imposed.

27 March 2021. Consultation on National Model Design Code closes.

13 March 2021. Consultation on Right to Regenerate closes.

22 January 2021. ‎Architects' building safety competence consultation closes

The ULEZ will then be widened up to the North and South Circular roads for cars and vans.

Mini-Holland Healthy Streets agenda for London.

June 2021. Carbon Budget 6 (CB6) climate targets signed into law.

[edit] 2020

31 August 2020. Construction Site Visitor cards issued from 3rd September 2018 will expire.

28 February 2020. CSCS will stop issuing Construction Site Visitor cards.

29 October 2020. Planning for the future consultation closes.

Septemer, Scottish National Planning Framework expected to be laid in parliament.

September, changes to permitted development due to come into force.

The ULEZ will then be widened across Greater London for heavy vehicles.

April 2020, changes to IR35 come into force.

11 February 2020. Water companies must decide whether to accept Price review determinations.

1 January 2020 Environment Agency General Binding Rules concerning discharge from septic tanks comes into effect in England.

[edit] 2019

Carbon Reduction Commitment will be abolished and replaced, in a revenue neutral way, with an increase in the Climate Change Levy.

Architectural apprenticeships are due to start. See Construction apprenticeships and Architectural training.

11 December 2019. Water companies must respond to 2019 Price review draft determinations for water companies.

28 November 2019, Consultation on reducing the height above which sprinklers are required closes.

1 October 2019, VAT reverse charge comes into effect.

1 September 2019. Late payment initiative comes into force.

31 August 2019. New approved document b comes into force.

31 July 2019. Consultation on The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 closes. See also Safety reporting proposals

31 July 2019. Consultation on Building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system closes.

21 July 2019. Changing places toilets consultation closes.

July 2019. Construction Leadership Council (CLC) conducts first annual review of Construction Sector Deal implementation.

10 June 2019. Consulation on Social Value Act closes.

5 June 2019. Consultation on PFI / PPP closes.

8 April 2019, first phase of Ultra Low Emission Zone came into force.

29 March 2019. Brexit was due (impac on Construction Products Regulation CPR / OJEU etc)

1 March 2019. Consultaiton on approved document B closed.

1 March 2019. Project bank accounts bill was due to be read a second time.

Early 2019. Final proposals were due for the code of practice for letting and managing agents.

31 Jan 2019. Developer contributions consultation closed.

[edit] 2018

1 October 2018. New regulations on pre-commencement planning conditions came into force.

September 2018. BSEN 13240 was replaced by BSEN 16510 under the Eco Design Directive 2009/1185/6. The new legislation was implemented in September 2018, and the deadline for testing emissions limits is January 2022.

September 2018. Existing Energy Company Obligation scheme ends.

September 2018. Organisations must have migrated their environmental management system to the 2015 of ISO 14001 to receive third party certification.

Summer 2018. Revised NPPF was due.

14 August 2018 Consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings closed.

25 May. Consultation into the restriction of desktop studies for fire performance assessment ended. See ACM cladding.

25 May 2018. The Data Protection Act was be superseded by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

29 April. Energy Company Obligation consultation ended.

April 2018. The new minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) applies to commercial and domestic buildings which are to be let.

Easter 2018. Draft NPPF due for consultation.

Spring 2018. New Renewable Heat Incentive regulations come into effect.

Spring 2018. The first National Infrastructure Assessment was due to be published.

19 February 2018. Publication start date for PAS 1192-6.

12 January 2018. Responses required to consultation on the Interim National Infrastructure Assessment, Congestion, Capacity, Carbon.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) were due to refresh the Government Construction Strategy.

[edit] 2017

September 2017, All existing construction related occupation cards expired by the end of September 2017.

1 Sept 2017. EN 81-50 providing a framework for the design and testing of elevator components came into force.

2 June 2017. HSE consultation on Fee for intervention closed.

June. The final version of PAS 1192-6 was adopted and the publication start date was set at 19 February 2018.

16th May 2017. Deadline for EU member states to implement changes to EIA legislation.

17 April 2017, Consultation closed on Building our Industrial Strategy: green paper.

6 April 2017, Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill payment provisions came into force.

April 2017. Budget tax changes.

April 2017. Apprenticeships levy became operational.

April 2017. Immigration skills charge started.

1 April 2017. Building Control Performance Standard 7: Communications and records came in to force.

1 April 2017. Building Control Performance Standard 6: Site inspections came in to force.

28 March 2017. Consultation closed on PAS 1192-6.

21 March 2017. Consultation closed on the future of the Construction Industry Training Board.

March 2017, Energy company obligation ECO2 ended. However, In January 2017, it as announced that the scheme would be extended to September 2018 and that there would an increased focus on low income and vulnerable homes.

March 2017, Construction related occupation cards will no longer be issued.

2017. Local plans must be in place or the Government will intervene to arrange for a local plan to be written.

2017. Government grants for cleaning up contaminated land, administered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will be phased out, ending in 2017.

21 February 2017. Government launched consultation on the future of the Construction Industry Training Board.

January 2017. Changes to special measures thresholds will come into force unless opposed by parliament.

31 January 2017, Consultation closes on proposed changes to Environmental Impact Assessment legislation.

23 January 2017, Building our Industrial Strategy: green paper published.

1 January 2017, Approved document R came into force.

1 January 2017. New ARB code of conduct came into force.

[edit] 2016

31 December 2016, Mortgage Guarantee Scheme (part of help to buy) closed to new loans.

12 December 2016. CIOB Academy launched.

11 December 2016, Consultation closed on A City for all Londoners.

9 December 2016. Consultation closes on Clean Air Zones.

October 2016, UK BIM Alliance formally launched.

Autumn 2016, National needs assessment for UK infrastructure to be published by National Infrastructure Commission panel.

5 August 2016, National Infrastructure Commission consultation closed.

3 August 2016, Consultation on Heat Networks Investment Project closed.

1 August 2016, Right to Buy ended in Scotland.

May 23 2016 - Dept for Transport consultation on cycling and walking closed.

May 2016, Blacklisting case heard in the High Court.

May 2016, PAS 2080 was published by BSI.

End of April 2016, International Ethics Coalition consultation closed.

6 April 2016, The introduction of The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (Electronic Communications) Order 2016 means that notices and other documents can be served by electronic communications.

4 April 2016. Level 2 BIM required for all centrally-procured public sector projects. Government Soft Landings mandated on public projects, alongside Level 2 BIM.

1 April 2016, Councils must hold a register of custom and self builders who require land in their area and must make sure they look to provide land to meet their needs. See Self build and custom housebuilding registers.

24 March 2016, Responses required for Homes and Communities Agency review call for evidence.

March 2016, NIC report puiblished. See National Infrastructure Commission call for evidence.

March 2016, Findings of Bonfield Review expected - but not published.

1 March 2016. New legislation under the Planning (Wales) Act came into force.

29 February. End of CLC consultation on skills shortage. See Government calls on the construction industry to build home grown talent.

22 February 2016, end of consultation on proposed changes to national planning policy.

1 February 2016, Health and safety offences, corporate manslaughter and food safety and hygiene offences definitive guideline came into effect.

Early 2016, Report from expert panel to streamline local plan-making process.

Early 2016, Relaunch of Construction supply chain payment charter.

January 2016, European regulation on online dispute resolution became law.

29 January 2016, Second reading was expected of Basement Excavation (Restriction of Permitted Development) Bill, however it was withdrawn and will not progress further.

16 January 2016, Cutting Red Tape review review closed for comments.

15 January, call for contributions to the CIL review ended.

8 January 2016, National Infrastructure Commission call for evidence closed.

1 January 2016, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority came into existence from the merger of Infrastructure UK and the Major Projects Authority (which no longer exist separately).

1 January 2016, NHBC technical standards 2014 replaced by 2016 edition.

I January 2016, Amendment 3 BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations IET Wiring Regulations came into force in relation to consumer units.

For an archive of events in 2015 see Construction industry diary 2015.

For an archive of events in 2014 see Construction industry diary 2014.