Coalition calls for “bolder action” to make new residential buildings safer

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has joined forces with six other built environment bodies, fire safety organisations, and disability rights groups to urge the UK government to reduce the height threshold for new residential buildings with more than one staircase to 18 metres, approximately six storeys, from the currently proposed 30 metres, approximately ten storeys.

In a joint letter to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, the coalition members argue that reducing the height threshold would improve safety for occupants and harmonise standards within the wider regulatory environment. The proposed change would also align with rules in Scotland, where an additional staircase in new residential structures of 18 metres and higher has been required for four years.

The letter, which was also signed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Building, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Housing Learning and Improvement Network, Disability Rights UK, Inclusion London and Claddag, the leaseholder disability action lobbying group, is part of a wider push to improve fire safety standards in the UK following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

RIBA president Simon Allford commented on the issue, stating that "five years have passed since the fire at Grenfell Tower, and still we must make the case and take bolder action to help prevent further avoidable tragedies." He added that "decisive action to make buildings as safe as is reasonably possible is long overdue," and that clarity on appropriate staircase design and provision in residential buildings is essential.

The call for action comes as recent reports indicate that more people are evacuating buildings rather than adhering to 'Stay Put' policies during fire incidents, highlighting the urgent need for safe and smoke-free evacuation routes. The RIBA has been calling for clarity on staircase design and standards that help ensure people are safe in their homes, and the proposed reduction in the height threshold is a crucial step towards achieving this goal.

The coalition members hope that the UK government will take note of their concerns and take swift action to improve fire safety standards in the country. With their combined expertise and experience, they are ready to support the government in addressing the points they have made and ensuring that occupants of residential buildings across the country are safe from harm.

Building a Safer Future Champions

Building a Safer Future – the non-profit organisation committed to raising standards in building safety and supporting required culture change in the built environment industry – has announced the first group of organisations to be awarded BSF Champion status, having successfully completed the former’s new building safety culture change assessment scheme.

The BSF Champion assessment process affords companies detailed insight into their existing leadership and culture around building safety and equips them with actionable data and practical tools to help review and upgrade processes, driving meaningful and measurable improvement in leadership and culture around building safety (and, in doing so, helping to rebuild public trust).

Organisations that have achieved Building a Safer Future Champion status include Barratt Developments plc, Galliford Try, Hill Holdings Ltd, Martin Arnold Ltd, MHS Homes, Morgan Sindall, Orion Fire Engineering Ltd, Persimmon Homes Ltd and Salix Hom.

Dame Judith Hackitt, chair of both the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety and the Industry Safety Steering Group, commented: “Every journey of culture change starts with an open and honest assessment of where you are today. All of the companies who have achieved Building a Safer Future Champion status have shown the courage to look at themselves and understand the steps they need to take to improve and are now embarked upon that journey. Their leadership and the benefits they can demonstrate already from setting out on this journey should be a wake-up call to everyone else to make sure they’re on board.”

Steve Elliott, non-executive chair of Building a Safer Future, added: “I want to congratulate the companies achieving Building a Safer Future Champion status. They can take real pride in the leadership they’re showing in committing to a journey of continuous improvement in building safety. They have taken meaningful action instead of waiting for regulations to change, which should encourage many more organisations in the industry to follow their excellent example.”