Can Asbestos remain in a building?

Yes, where the Asbestos Containing Materials are in very good condition and will not be disturbed then they are not a problem, but in almost all circumstances the asbestos will still need to be managed.

The document L143 sets out the actions that are required to manage asbestos in order to be compliant with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, in particular this is covered by Regulation 4 The Duty to Manage (in non-domestic buildings and in Regulation 5 Identification of the presence of asbestos (duty on employers towards their employees prior to work commencing in ANY work setting)