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What is the Principal Designer Guide?

The Principal Designer Guide reflects the duties and responsibilities of the new Principal Designer role, introduced by the new secondary legislation of the Building Safety Act 2022 (under Part 2A of the Building Regulations 2010), in context of the dutyholder roles established under the CDM Regulations 2015.

The templates have been developed to support the various tasks to be carried out by the Principal Designer role under the new Building Regulations (in England), aligned with the text in the Principal Designer Guide. To use these templates as intended, they should be adapted to suit the specifics of the project, your procedures and processes. They may need further review for each project (so a copy and paste approach should be avoided in favour of a project-by-project review). 

The numbers alongside the file names match the relevant chapter in the  Principal Designer Guide. 

Trackers

• 1.1 Relevant Requirements Tracker ()
  This tracker supports the decisions made to ensure compliance with the requirements of regulations 4, 6, 7, 8, 22, 23, 25B, 26, 26A, 28, 36, 41(2)(a), 42(2)(a), 44A, 44ZA, 44ZC and 44D to 44I and Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations and could be used as evidence or for supporting change control processes etc as applies. 

Standard forms and letters

• 2.1: Client Care Letter (Commercial) ()
  This template provides initial guidance for domestic clients regarding their statutory duties under the regulations, which both designers and clients need to understand and comply with on all their projects.
• 2.1: Client Care Letter (Domestic) ()
  This template provides initial guidance for domestic clients regarding their statutory duties under the regulations, which both designers and clients need to understand and comply with on all their projects. 
• 2.1: Lead Designer Agreement ()
  This client letter can be used to advise your client of your agreement with the other designers, confirming which designer shall act as the lead designer and principal designer for your project.
• 2.4: Notice of Designated Individual ()
  This notice can be used to record the details of any individuals you designate to fulfil the principal designer duties on behalf of your organisation. 
• 3.2: Non-HRB Completion Statement () 
  This declaration can be used to provide your client a signed Completion Statement as required under the Building Regulations for non-HRB projects.
• 4.3: Personal Competence Statement () 
  This statement can used to advise your client of your skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours that demonstrate you are competent to fulfil your principal designer duties. 
• 4.4: Notification of Competence () 
  This letter can used to advise your client of instances where you are no longer competent to continue as the principal designer.