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There has been a major change in the building industry recently. The government announced that it was planning to disallow the use of combustible materials on new high-rises.
Housing secretary James Brokenshire declared an embargo on the use of these substances. Individuals will no longer be able to use them in the exterior walls of new residential blocks that exceed 18m. You can’t use them for hospitals, student accommodation, or care homes either.
Limited details
More details on this new policy aren’t expected until late autumn. This includes when the government intends to apply the ban. However, the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government gave confirmation of one fact; only materials that achieve a European fire-resistance categorisation of Class A1 or A2 will be suitable for use.
For those who are unfamiliar with them, A1 and A2 substances include glass, brick, and solid metal. These materials hardly contribute to fire risks. Plasterboard is ok to use as well, since it has high fire resistance.
It is also expected that the move won’t be retrospective. Therefore people won’t need to make changes to existing properties.
The impact
If the move does go ahead it will have a huge impact on the building industry. Architects would have to be even more careful with their designs and the materials they choose. One important detail is that balconies may be covered by the ban. If so traditional materials like timber and types of laminate glass may no longer be suitable. In addition people may no longer be able to use certain insulation and CLT products in buildings over 18m tall.
A big concern is what the move means for buildings in the pipeline. If a project does not yet have permission it could need a redesign to comply. There may also be amendments to consents if building is not underway before any deadline.
At Coffey Architects, we always use materials that are safe and authorised for use when working on a project. If there is a particular substance that you want to make your property out of, make sure you discuss things with us first. We can help you to select the perfect products, keeping in mind the fire safety.
Get in touch today if you’d like to work with some of the best architects London has. We stay up to date on regulatory changes and always offer the best advice to our clients.