Principal Designer Services

Integrating Health, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance into Every Stage of Design

At Mark Fairhurst Architects, we take an active leadership role in promoting health, safety, and regulatory compliance across the lifecycle of our projects. Since the introduction of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), we have offered Principal Designer Services as an integral part of our architectural offering, following specialist training delivered by the RIBA. With the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, our role has expanded to support compliance with both health and safety law and Building Regulations, ensuring that safety and design quality go hand in hand.

What Is a Principal Designer?

A Principal Designer is a duty holder appointed by the client to take control of the pre-construction phase of any project involving more than one contractor. This role is essential to identifying, eliminating, and managing risks at the earliest stages—when decisions have the greatest impact on safety outcomes.

Under CDM 2015, the Principal Designer is responsible for:

Planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating health and safety in the pre-construction phase.
Reviewing and incorporating existing health and safety information (e.g. from prior Health and Safety Files).
Working collaboratively with other designers to eliminate or mitigate foreseeable risks to workers, building users, and the public.
Coordinating communication and cooperation between all pre-construction stakeholders.
Liaising with the Principal Contractor, ensuring that design risks are clearly communicated for safe execution on site.

On domestic projects, if a client does not appoint a Principal Designer, this responsibility defaults to the designer in control of the pre-construction phase. We can also enter into formal agreements with domestic clients to take on additional duties typically assigned to the client, ensuring seamless compliance.

Principal Designer Services under the Building Safety Act 2022

Strengthening Compliance with Building Regulations
The Building Safety Act 2022, enacted in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, introduced a second statutory Principal Designer role. This expanded duty holder is responsible for managing and coordinating compliance with Building Regulations, including fire safety and structural integrity.

Key responsibilities under this new framework include:

Planning, managing, and monitoring design work to ensure it meets Building Regulations.
Coordinating across disciplines to resolve conflicts and maintain compliance.
Ensuring accurate and up-to-date design information is shared throughout the project.
Participating in new “gateway” approvals for high-risk projects, which include detailed reviews at planning, design, and completion stages.
Providing formal compliance declarations for higher-risk residential buildings (HRBs).

Special Requirements for High-Risk Residential Buildings (HRBs)

For buildings over 18 metres in height or seven or more storeys, the regulations impose additional controls, including:

Mandatory safety reporting to the Building Safety Regulator.
Digital “Golden Thread” records to maintain a single source of truth throughout design, construction, and occupation.
Principal Designer declarations confirming design compliance at key stages.
Direct oversight by the Building Safety Regulator (replacing traditional local authority building control for HRBs).

These measures are designed to protect life safety and improve long-term accountability in residential design and construction.

Our Qualifications & Commitment

Mark Fairhurst Architects is committed to leading by example in safety and regulatory compliance. Our team has successfully completed the RIBA Principal Designer training and maintains RIBA accreditation in Health & Safety, demonstrating our capability to manage design risk and Building Regulations compliance with confidence and competence.

We invest in ongoing professional development to ensure our knowledge, skills, and behaviours meet or exceed industry standards, including:

Building safety and fire safety design
Regulatory frameworks (CDM 2015, Building Safety Act 2022)
Risk identification and mitigation in the design process
Client guidance and duty holder coordination
Digital record-keeping and “Golden Thread” compliance

Our integrated approach ensures that every project, regardless of scale or complexity, is designed with safety, compliance, and sustainability in mind.

Why Choose Mark Fairhurst Architects as Your Principal Designer?

Over 25 years of architectural and project delivery experience
Early adoption and delivery of CDM Principal Designer duties since 2017
Qualified for the expanded Principal Designer role under the Building Safety Act 2022
Demonstrated competence through RIBA-accredited training and project experience
Proven ability to work on both commercial and domestic projects, including HRBs and listed buildings
Close collaboration with clients, consultants, and contractors from concept to completion

Whether you’re delivering a new residential development, adapting a listed building, or undertaking a complex mixed-use scheme, we ensure safety is designed in – not added on.

Links

https://www.mark-fairhurst.co.uk/sustainable-homes-for-westminster/

https://www.mark-fairhurst.co.uk/understanding-whole-life-cycle-carbon-assessments-in-the-planning-context/

https://www.mark-fairhurst.co.uk/approach-to-sustainability/

https://www.mark-fairhurst.co.uk/energy-conservation-for-homes/