Direction under the Building Act 1984: Dispensation for holes for fibre optic cabling in higher-risk buildings (HRBs)
Direction under the Building Act 1984
In accordance with section 11(3C) of the Building Act 1984 the Secretary of State has consulted the Building Safety Regulator and such other persons as he considers appropriate. A public consultation was published by the government on 26 January 2026 entitled “Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work”.
The Secretary of State considers that the operation of the requirements of regulations 11(1) and 40 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023 (Building control approval for work to existing HRB and Completion certificate applications) are currently unreasonable in respect of drilling of holes 25mm or less in diameter in internal and external walls for the installation of fibre optic cabling in existing higher-risk buildings.
The Secretary of State makes the following direction, in relation to buildings in England, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 11(1) of the Building Act 1984 (type relaxation of building regulations):
Dispensations for drilling of holes for the purpose of installing fibre optic cabling in existing higher-risk buildings
1. In this Direction - “building work” has the meaning given in regulation 3 of the Building Regulations 2010; “higher-risk building” has the meaning given in section 120D of the Building Act 1984; “relevant person” has the meaning given in regulation 38 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023; and any references to building work to an existing higher-risk building have the same meaning as “work to existing HRB” given in regulation 2 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.
2. The requirements of regulations 11(1), and 40 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023 (Building control approval for work to existing HRB and Completion certificate applications) are dispensed with for building work that solely consists of the drilling of holes 25mm or less in diameter in internal or external walls for the installation of only fibre optic cabling in existing higher-risk buildings, subject to compliance with all of the following conditions:
a. Appropriate firestopping, weatherproofing and soundproofing is undertaken. Appropriate fire stopping and weatherproofing is completed on the same calendar day that any hole is made in the higher-risk building. For external walls, the methods used for weatherproofing must be designed to prevent water ingress.
b. The installer can demonstrate their skills, knowledge and experience through having undertaken relevant training that includes fire stopping, weatherproofing techniques and soundproofing and their competence is regularly reviewed.
c. The fibre optic cabling and materials to be used conform with BS 6701:2016+A1:2017 entitled ‘Telecommunications equipment and telecommunications cabling. Specification for installation, operation and maintenance - Specification for installation, operation and maintenance’ and published by the British Standards Institute in October 2017.
d. The relevant person (and, where more than one such person, each of them) has granted prior written approval for the building work, giving regard to the risk of external fire spread.
e. Any person carrying out the work must notify the Building Safety Regulator as soon as is reasonably practicable after completion of the building work, providing the following:
i. the name, address, telephone number and email address of the client; and the name, address, telephone number and email address of the principal contractor (or sole contractor);
ii. a description of the building work, as completed;
iii. the location of the work undertaken, including address of the higher-risk building and location in the building;
iv. the date on which the building work was completed; and
v. a statement from that person confirming that they have fulfilled their duties under Part 2A (dutyholders and competence) of the Building Regulations 2010 and that the building work carried out was within the scope of this Direction and complied with all the conditions of this Direction
3. Under section 11(6) of the Building Act 1984 if a person contravenes any of the conditions specified in paragraphs 2.a to 2.e of this Direction or permits any such condition to be contravened, they will be liable on summary conviction to a fine and to a further fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale for each day on which the offence continues after they are convicted.
Period of the dispensations
4. This direction has come into effect from 01 September 2026.
5. This Direction has effect for a period of 3 years beginning with the date the direction came into effect.
Previous breaches
6. This Direction does not affect the continued operation of the Building Act 1984, the Building Regulations 2010 and the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, in relation to any breach of the requirements mentioned in paragraph 2 which occurred before the date this Direction came into effect.
Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government:
Keeran Jugdoyal, Deputy Director, New Build Standards and Performance
Date: 7 July 2026