‘Culture change’ on London building fire safety needed as Mayor launches guidance for developers
The Mayor of London has launched a public consultation on draft guidance for fire safety standards for new developments.
Sadiq Khan has echoed campaigners’ criticisms of existing national building regulations, dubbing them as unfit for purpose. He said the pace of reforms has not been quick enough.
The draft Fire Safety London Plan guidance sets out that developers must consider fire safety and evacuation at the earliest stages and must ensure high safety standards.
Campaigners have been calling on the government for more stringent fire regulations, in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, in which 72 people were killed.
The Mayor said the guidance was in addition to the government’s fire safety considerations, which only apply only to a limited number of buildings at the planning application stage.
The guidance also states that designs need to consider the “safe and dignified evacuation for all from the outset.”
This includes where a fire engine will park in the event of fire, whether there is a safe and accessible evacuation route for occupants, whether the external walls are made of non-combustible materials and what fire safety measures will be incorporated into the buildings.
It comes as London developers have received criticism in recent weeks for submitting planning requests for tall buildings with just one single staircase for evacuation.
Under the guidance, developers must also ensure competent fire safety experts are involved at the earliest stage of the design process, include evacuation lifts in developments, and ensure fire safety measures are identified at the planning application stage.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The current building safety situation is a scandal and I am concerned that almost five years after the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, it appears that the government are still not willing to properly address it.”
“Ministers must do their part and urgently review and improve building regulations, including regulations relating to single escape staircases in very tall buildings,” he added.
The guidance has received the backing of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), which said it will be responding to the public consultation in full.
The LFB’s deputy assistant commissioner for fire safety, Greg Ashman, said: “It is imperative developers are considering fire safety at the earliest stage of the building design process and we agree that the safety of all members of the public as well as our firefighters should be considered at this stage.
“We still need to see a culture change when it comes to fire safety in all buildings and we believe this guidance will influence the overall safety of London’s buildings in the future.”