Principal Designer

Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the CDM Principal Designer leads on coordinating health and safety during the design phase to reduce risks during construction.

Designers
We will check that all other appointed designers have sufficient skills, knowledge, experience and the organisational capability to carry out the work. We have a competency questionnaire for this.

Planning
We will plan, manage and monitor health and safety in the pre-construction phase of the project. This will include identifying, eliminating or controlling all foreseeable risks, and ensuring any appointed other designers fulfil their duties.

Pre-Construction
We will compile the “Pre-construction Information” (PCI), which will summarise the measures taken to mitigate risks, and provide it to all parties, including tendering contractors.

Health & Safety File
We will prepare the draft Health & Safety File and review and update it as the project progresses.

Construction
We will liaise with the Principal Contractor to help in the planning, managing, monitoring and co-ordination of the construction phase, culminating in approving their post-construction Health & Safety File.

The BR Principal Designer is a new legal role under the Building Safety Act 2022. We ensure your designs comply fully with Building Regulations and manage the submission of all necessary documents to Building Control.

Designers
We will check that all other appointed designers have sufficient skills, knowledge, experience and the organisational capability to carry out the work. We have a competency questionnaire for this.

Building Regulations Compliance
We will create a Building Regulations compliance tracker to monitor and confirm that the design meets all regulatory requirements.

Coordination
We will coordinate the design team to ensure that all aspects of the design meet Building Regulations requirements and work together as a fully compliant scheme.

Building Control Application
From the outset, we will determine which type of Building Control application is needed for the project and prepare and submit the required documentation to obtain approval.

Liaison with Building Control
We will liaise with the relevant regulatory body to secure final approval confirming that the project complies with Building Regulations.

Construction
We will provide the completion statement to the client and the completion notice to the building control body to demonstrate compliance and support the successful completion of the project on site.

For higher-risk buildings (HRBs) such as tall residential towers and care homes, the HRB-BR-PD has enhanced responsibilities under the Building Safety Act 2022. We take the lead on managing safety-critical information and coordinating with the Building Safety Regulator.

Designers
We will check that all other appointed designers have sufficient skills, knowledge, experience and the organisational capability to carry out the work. We have a competency questionnaire for this.

Golden Thread
If agreed with the client, we will manage the “Golden Thread” of safety information during the design phase and hand it over to the Principal Contractor at the start of construction for them to create/ continue the Golden Thread.

Coordination
We will make sure all designers are working together to meet Building Regulations requirements and that their designs are fully coordinated and compliant.

Gateway 1/2/3 documentation
We will ensure fire safety information is submitted at Gateway 1 (the planning stage). We will act as the lead coordinator at Gateways 2 and 3, managing all required documentation and submitting applications directly to the Building Safety Regulator at each stage.

Regulator liaison
If any design or construction changes arise, we will liaise directly with the Building Safety Regulator to secure the necessary approvals and ensure the project receives its final Completion Certificate.