Fibre Optic Building Regulations Eased in England

Fibre optic building regulations have changed for certain installations in existing buildings across England. The new direction removes some building control procedures for small cable penetrations, although installers must still meet the relevant safety, performance and competence requirements.

The change applies to existing buildings that are not classed as higher-risk buildings. It took effect on 1 September 2026 and will remain in place for three years. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published Building Circular 03/2026 on 3 September 2026, explaining the revised direction and the duties that continue to apply.

What has changed?

The direction covers work that consists solely of drilling holes through internal or external walls to install fibre optic cabling. Each hole must be no more than 25mm in diameter. Where these conditions are met, installers no longer need to submit a building notice or an application for building control approval. They are also not required to obtain a completion certificate for the work.

The replacement direction removes a condition included in the version published in July 2026. This would have required prior written approval from the “relevant person”, having considered the risk of external fire spread. The Ministry consulted the Building Safety Regulator before removing the condition, while the wider scope of the direction remains unchanged.

These revised fibre optic building regulations provide procedural relief for a narrowly defined type of work. They do not exempt the installation from the wider requirements of the Building Regulations. The dispensation does not cover holes larger than 25mm, other forms of cabling or penetrations created as part of wider alteration work. Normal building control procedures may still apply in these circumstances.

Safety and competence requirements remain

Installations can benefit from the dispensation only when all its conditions are met. Appropriate fire stopping, weatherproofing and soundproofing must still be provided. Fire stopping and weatherproofing must be completed on the same calendar day that each hole is drilled. For external walls, the chosen weatherproofing method must also prevent water from entering the building.

Installers must be able to demonstrate suitable skills, knowledge and experience. Relevant training must cover fire stopping, weatherproofing and soundproofing, and their competence must be reviewed regularly. The fibre optic cabling and associated materials must also comply with BS 6701:2016+A1:2017, which covers the installation, operation and maintenance of telecommunications cabling.

The direction does not remove the functional requirements contained in Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations 2010. Dutyholder and competence requirements under Part 2A also remain in force. Where applicable, teams must provide the information required under regulations 38 to 40B so that relevant fire safety, building and compliance information reaches the appropriate person at handover.

A person who breaches one of the conditions may face enforcement under section 11 of the Building Act 1984. Small cable penetrations should therefore receive suitable oversight, even though the associated building control process has been reduced.

Why has the process been simplified?

The change follows a government consultation on building control procedures for telecommunications work. This considered whether the existing process was proportionate to the limited nature of qualifying installations. Requiring a formal application and completion certificate for every small penetration created additional work for installers and building control bodies. The government concluded that this was unreasonable where the work meets the direction’s strict size and scope limits.

However, the government’s consultation response also recorded concerns about the quality of fibre installation work. Respondents highlighted poor fire stopping, inconsistent installer competence and the potential loss of fire compartmentation. The revised fibre optic building regulations therefore retain conditions covering workmanship, materials and installer capability. Although the paperwork has been reduced, the technical standards applying to the work have not changed.

What property and project teams should do

Building owners, designers, property managers and telecommunications contractors should treat the direction as a specific compliance route. Before relying on it, teams should:

• Confirm that the property is an existing building in England and is not a higher-risk building for building control purposes.
• Check that the work consists solely of fibre optic cable penetrations measuring no more than 25mm.
• Verify the installer’s training and retain evidence of their continuing competence.
• Specify compliant cabling, fire stopping, soundproofing and weatherproofing materials.
• Record the location of each penetration, the wall construction and the completed reinstatement.
• Take dated photographs before and after the work where appropriate.
• Complete the required fire stopping and weatherproofing on the day that each hole is drilled.
• Provide the information required under regulations 38 to 40B, where applicable.

Although the statutory approval condition has been removed, other permissions may still be needed. These could arise from leases, access agreements, contracts, warranties or the building owner’s management procedures. Property teams may therefore continue to require approval before work begins, particularly where an installation affects compartment walls, external façades or warranty-covered construction.

Lighter procedures, but continuing responsibility

The revised process should reduce administration and delays for routine broadband installations, but it also places greater reliance on competent installers, suitable specifications and accurate records. Clients and building managers do not need to recreate the building control procedures that have been removed. Instead, they should include proportionate checks within procurement, installation and handover arrangements.

The paperwork associated with qualifying work is now lighter, but responsibility for protecting the building’s fire, weather and acoustic performance remains unchanged.