Enabling broadband rollout in High Risk Buildings (HRBs)

5 October 2026

The introduction of the higher-risk building control regime, through the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, unintentionally required providers to seek Building Safety Regulator (BSR) approval for routine, low-risk fibre installations, having a disproportionate impact on the telecommunications sector’s ability to deploy infrastructure.

Requiring formal approval from the BSR for routine fibre and telecoms installation works in HRBs resulted in delays to consumers benefitting from full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure to HRBs, creating a digital divide as providers were forced to descope HRBs.

ISPA submitted written evidence to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee’s inquiry into the BSR and coordinating joint industry letters to ministers (including with other bodies) calling for a Section 11 dispensation. In January 2026, ISPA responded to the consultation published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work on proposals to dispense with procedural requirements of building regulations in a way that reduces unnecessary administrative burdens for fibre optic cabling, in both HRBs and non-HRBs, and work related to the installation and repair of mobile communications masts in HRBs only.

The Government published the dispensations on 9 July 2026 to announce the type relaxation directions for the drilling of holes to install fibre optic cabling applicable from 1 September 2026. ISPA continues to work closely with MHCLG and the BSR to ensure the dispensations work effectively for providers.