All new buildings are required to achieve planning permission prior to the commencement of works on site. Furthermore, where located within the Greater London region all buildings are required to adhere to the London Plan requirements. For those developments a fire safety report is required to be submitted with the planning application, which can take the form of a Fire Statement for larger developments or a Planning Fire Safety Strategy for smaller developments.
In addition to the above, the “Building a Safer Future” report prepared by Dame Judith Hackitt proposed the introduction of the ‘Gateways.’
The primary purpose of the Gateways is to introduce an element of Governance into managing fire safety through the design, construction, and handover process.
The first gateway (Gateway One) is before planning permission is granted, when fire safety issues which impact on planning should be considered, including emergency fire vehicle access to a building and whether there are adequate water supplies in the event of a fire.
To aid the local planning authority in their decision as to whether to grant planning permission on taller residential developments (referred to as relevant buildings), the developer will be required to submit a Fire Statement setting out fire safety considerations specific to the development with their planning application.
If you require a fire statement to support the planning application of a project and would like to discuss this with a member of the team, please get in touch.
Gateway two is the technical design and construction phase, where the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is the only option for building control body. Construction cannot begin until the BSR has approved the building control application. Marshall Fire can offer a plan-check service, which includes a signed ratification of drawing that comply with the approved fire strategy. We can also work with the design team to ensure the fire strategy requirements are interpreted correctly.
Who should issue a fire statement?
Planning Gateway one requires a fire statement to show that fire safety has been considered at the very earliest stage of the construction process. It is recommended that fire statements are completed by a suitably qualified engineer with relevant experience in fire safety, such as a chartered engineer registered with the Engineering Council by the Institution of Fire Engineers, or suitably qualified and competent professional with the demonstrable experience to address the complexity of the design being proposed in terms of fire safety.
What type of buildings are considered relevant under planning gateway one?
Relevant buildings under planning gateway one must contain two or more dwellings or educational accommodations and meet the height condition of 18m or more, or 7 or more storeys.
What are the additional requirements for projects in Greater London?
The Mayor of London has published The London Plan 2021. This document came into effect on 2nd March 2021 and sets out the Mayor of London’s spatial development strategy. It provides the framework for how London will develop over the next 20-25 years.
Policy D5 and D12 of The London Plan place additional requirements for planning applications for relevant buildings in Greater London. Examples include mitigation for the use of a ‘stay-put’ evacuation strategy, the inclusion of additional evacuation lifts and more onerous requirements for the qualifications of fire safety consultants producing fire statements.
The team at Marshall Fire can demonstrate full competency and years of experience.