Planning supervisor
The role of ‘planning supervisor’ was created by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM Regulations) in 1994 which came into force on 31 March 1995. The regulations were introduced to ensure that health and safety issues are properly considered during a project’s development so that the risk of harm to those who have to build, use and maintain structures is reduced.
The planning supervisor role was intended to be a supervisory one, ensuring that the regulations were complied with:
- Ensuring designers co-operated and avoided and reduced risks.
- Ensuring that the Health and Safety Plan and Health and Safety File were prepared.
- Advising the client about the adequacy and competence of designers and contractors.
- Advising the client about the Health and Safety Plan.
- Ensuring the project was notified to the Health and Safety Executive.
However, when the CDM Regulations were revised in 2007, planning supervisors were scrapped and replaced with a new role, ‘CDM Co-ordinator’.
The CDM Co-ordinator was intended to take a more active role in the project, actually co-ordinating health and safety issues and performing tasks themselves rather than just advising or ensuring that others perform their duties. This more active role included:
- Advising the client about their duties.
- Facilitating good communication between the client, designers and contractors.
- Notifying the Health and Safety Executive.
- Co-ordinating health and safety aspects of design.
- Providing, or ensuring that the client provides relevant pre-construction information.
- Preparing or compiling the health and safety file.
See CDM Co-ordinator for more information.
However, the 2007 CDM Regulations were substantially revised in 2015. These revisions saw the role of CDM Co-ordinator transferred to a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor to try to embed it better into the project team. See CDM 2015 for more information.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.
The first line of defence against rain, wind and snow.
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description from the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.