A single body will regulate the building construction industry in New South Wales as the state seeks to continue its momentum to improve building quality and safety.

The NSW Government has announced that it will establish the NSW Building Commission by the end of the year.

The Commission will form a single body that will oversee the regulation, licensing and oversight of the industry.

The government will also introduce a new Plain English Building Act that will consolidate and modernise building regulation into a single law that provides clarity to builders and consumers about rights and responsibilities.

The latest announcement comes as New South Wales has led the nation in building reform over recent years by implementing a six-pillar plan to improve competence and accountability across the sector.

Spearheaded by Building Commissioner David Chandler, the reforms have focused on an overhaul of the building regulatory framework; development of rating systems to make it easier for homeowners and the regulator to identify trustworthy buildings; education and upskilling; better contracts and standards; uptake of digital platforms and tools; and use of data and research to more effectively target reform and regulatory effort.

In a statement, NSW Premier Chris Minns said the changes would help to unlock more housing supply but do so in a way that ensures that homes and apartments are safe and of good quality.

Minns said the reforms would build on momentum from efforts driven by Chandler.

“I’ve made clear we need more supply, there’s no two ways about it,” Minns said.

“The pressure on the rental market is severe, and the Government’s job is to get more supply into the system to help alleviate some of that pressure.

“But I want to provide confidence to the public that when we build, we’ll build properly.

“We want well-built, well-designed suburbs with top-tier buildings and top-tier builders.

“The Building Commissioner David Chandler has done a remarkable job cleaning up the construction industry. We want to expand on that and ensure can get supply moving while still maintaining public confidence in the quality.”

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