Planning Gateway One - How we assess planning applications
Level of detail
If information in a planning application or prior approval application limits the ability of HSE to carry out an assessment of the fire safety design, then this will be raised as a concern.
Outline and hybrid planning applications
The level of detail in outline and hybrid planning applications will obviously depend on the number of matters that are reserved. Usually, all or most matters are reserved and this will limit the ability of HSE to assess the fire safety characteristics of the development. In these circumstances, HSE will usually focus on the relationships and interactions between blocks in a development and neighbouring buildings. The focus will be on the permeability of the site in terms of fire service access and the risk of external fire spread between buildings in the development, and neighbouring properties.
Regarding the matters that have been reserved, HSE will usually request that the LPA impose a condition to the outline or hybrid permission requiring a fire statement form to be submitted with the reserved matters application and a request that HSE be consulted at the reserved matters stage.
Where only some matters have been reserved, HSE will consider each case in terms of the information available and the relevance to fire safety of the matters that have been reserved, to determine whether the development can be comprehensively assessed at that stage.
Prior approval applications
These are applications for development that benefit from permitted development rights in respect of the change of use of a building that results in it becoming a relevant building, or the vertical extension of a relevant building by up to two storeys.
For prior approval applications for up to two storey residential extensions on existing blocks of flats or above commercial uses, the application documents should include a report from a chartered engineer or other competent professional confirming that the external wall construction of the existing building complies with paragraph B4(1) of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2214). Paragraph B4(1) states that the external walls of the building shall adequately resist the spread of fire over the walls and from one building to another, having regard to the height, use and position of the building.