Consultation outcome

Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work

From:: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
~~Published~~Published:: 27 January 2026
Last ~~updated~~updated:: 92 ~~July~~September 2026 — See all updates

Read the full outcome

Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work - government response

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Direction under the Building Act 1984: Dispensation for holes for fibre optic cabling in higher-risk buildings (HRBs)

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Direction under the Building Act 1984: Dispensation for holes for fibre optic cabling (non-HRB)

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Direction under the Building Act 1984: Dispensation for building work on mobile masts

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Detail of outcome

The government has published its response to the Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work consultation.

Original consultation

Summary

We are seeking views on proposals to change application requirements for telecommunications work within the higher-risk building regime.

This consultation ran from
4:45pm on 27 January 2026 to 11:59pm on 24 March 2026

Consultation description

This consultation seeks views on proposals to refine the application process for some types of building work within the higher-risk building regime.

For building work to fibre optic infrastructure, this also includes the local authority and registered building control approvers routes for non-higher-risk buildings.

Specifically, the consultation considers changes to the processes for:

installation of fibre optic cabling
building work related to mobile masts

These proposals aim to address the limitations of the current system and ensure that regulatory processes remain proportionate, effective and focused on maintaining resident safety.

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