The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has revealed that it has been in talks with the government about protecting function for ‘activities in architecture’
In an interview with Architects Journal, ARB chief executive Hugh Simpson said the board had been in ‘very detailed discussions’ with the government for more than a year about competency and accountability in construction.
He said the regulator had also been urging the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to update and strengthen outdated legislation supporting its work in protecting the ‘title’ of architects.
And he said the board also wanted ‘registration and independent assessment of competence’ for those carrying out the role of principal designer.
Late last year, rumours emerged that the government was considering legally protecting architects’ job functions from being carried out by unqualified individuals as part of the role of a new single construction regulator.
While it is currently a criminal offence to use the title ‘architect’ if not on the ARB register of qualified architects, anyone is allowed to perform architectural and building design tasks.
Simpson said that while the government’s focus on competence and accountability is multi-professional within the built environment ARB has been keen on pushing for ‘regulated activities in architecture’.
He said: "We’ve said very clearly to government that in most EU member states and G7 countries, regulation goes beyond title – although that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a broad equivalent that could be easily translated [to the UK].
"We think it is absolutely right, and we’ve said so, to look at what regulation of function might look like, taking into account that the single construction regulator advisory prospectus says we need a system-wide approach to regulation."
In December, the government launched its consultation on creating a unified watchdog for the construction sector, intended to address long-standing fragmentation in regulation. The creation of a single construction regulator was one of the key recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry.
Some sort of protection of function would be widely welcomed by architects. An AJ poll in November found that 92 per cent of those surveyed were in favour of some level of protection.
Detailed analysis of the replies also showed that a majority of respondents (more than 56 per cent) wanted architects to have the exclusive and protected responsibility for planning and building control submissions.
In December, RIBA president Chris Williamson announced he would not be renewing his ARB subscription in a protest at the ‘ineffectiveness’ of the current regulatory system for UK architects.
Asked whether the function of architects was being re-examined back in November, an MHCLG spokesperson said: ‘Architects are already regulated and, while there are no plans to change this, we keep opportunities for reform under review.
