The government has been urged by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) to re-evaluate new building regulations, it has emerged.

Campaigners from the FSB claim that modifications to the Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations and the Approved Code of Practice will result in more responsibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reports Builder and Engineer.

FPB campaigns manager Victoria Carson told the publication: "We believe that the key cause for concern is that the current system of planning permission and building regulations can deliver safety, particularly in design, without passing undue burden onto the client. There is no need for the additional regulations."

The revised CDM regulations aim to merge the existing set of rules from 1994 with additional health and safety directives from 1996 into one package.

Amended by the Health and Safety Executive, the new regulations come into effect this April.