Planning Gateway One - Fire safety matters relevant to planning

Fire safety design can have a profound effect on planning matters. For example, the number and configuration of escape stairs and protected routes will usually be significant factors that determine the shape, appearance, and layout of the development, and how it relates to and affects neighbouring properties and uses. This in turn will impact on firefighter access, access for fire appliances and access to water for firefighting.

The level of detail contained in a full planning application varies but will usually include:

• vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access in and around the site,
• access arrangements for buildings in a development,
• details of car and cycle parking provision,
• basic landscaping details such as areas of hard and soft landscaping and paths,
• details of the external appearance of the building including balconies,
• the location of firefighting shafts, lifts and escape stairs,
• the location of ancillary accommodation such as plant rooms, refuse stores and cycle stores,
• the location of vents and ducts for smoke control systems,
• the location and number of residential units and their access arrangements, and
• the location of non-residential uses e.g.  gyms, retail units, cafes, and their access arrangements.

How these different factors manifest and interact with each other will influence fire safety design. These are matters that will be fixed if planning permission is granted. The purpose of PGO is to avoid poor fire safety design in relation to these matters being “baked in” at the planning stage.