New Residential Planning Application Requirements For Fire Safety

• Published date: 19 May 2021
• Subject Matter: Real Estate and Construction, Construction & Planning
• Law Firm: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
• Author: Ms Clare Eccles

A new requirement for Fire Statements to be submitted with certain planning applications for high rise residential buildings and for the HSE to be consulted on such applications is intended to take effect from 1 August 2021.

The Building Safety Bill ("the Bill") that was published last year and introduced to parliament in this week's Queen's speech will make substantial reforms to the UK's building and fire safety regime.

Amongst other aspects, it will create a new 'Gateway' regime to ensure that fire safety risks are considered at each stage of a building's design and construction.

The first 'Gateway' applies at the planning stage and will affect certain planning applications by imposing new mandatory requirements to ensure that fire safety is considered early on in the development process.

Although the new building safety regime in Bill is not expected to come into force until 2023, the first planning Gateway will apply before this, intended from 1 August 2021, and is being introduced through amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) ("DMPO"), and an associated instrument.

The draft amendments to the DMPO and Government guidance on the new requirements were published this week to help applicants and local planning authorities prepare for the implementation of the new regime. The amendments to the DMPO will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny before coming into force.

New planning application requirements

Fire statements that include information on the entire development must be submitted with planning applications for the provision or redevelopment of, or development within the curtilage of 'relevant buildings'. These are buildings of two or more dwellings or educational accommodation that are 18m or more in height, or 7 or more storeys.

Fire Statements must be submitted on a standard form published by the Secretary of State which requires information including the applicant's approach to fire safety, site layout and access for emergency vehicles and water supplies for firefighting. The information required is intended to be focused and concise and proportionate to the type of development and...