What Building Control Bodies Look For

Building control bodies review fire strategy reports and architectural drawings to assess compliance with Part B of the Building Regulations. Understanding the issues they most frequently raise — and addressing them before submission — saves time, reduces costs and improves the prospect of first-time approval.

Issue 1: Travel Distance Exceedances

Exceeding maximum travel distances is the most common fire safety issue raised by building control. The limits in Approved Document B — 45 metres with alternative escape routes, 18 metres in a dead end for offices; 7.5 metres dead-end for flats — are regularly exceeded in designs where fire engineering input was not sought at layout stage. Where exceedances occur, the fire strategy must justify them through compensating measures or the design must be revised.

Issue 2: Inadequate Protection of Escape Routes

Escape stairwells that are not fully enclosed in fire-resistant construction, corridors that are not protected from adjacent spaces, or fire doors that are not self-closing are common issues raised by building control. Protected escape routes must be enclosed in fire-rated construction on all sides and served by self-closing fire doors throughout.

Issue 3: Compartmentation Not Shown on Drawings

Where the fire strategy specifies compartmentation but the architectural drawings do not show it — either not at all, or with insufficient detail to understand what construction is required — building control will request clarification. Compartmentation must be explicitly shown on plans and sections, with the required fire resistance period annotated.

Issue 4: Incomplete Firefighting Facilities

For taller buildings, the provision of rising mains, firefighting lifts and firefighting shafts must meet the requirements of Approved Document B. Buildings over 18 metres require wet rising mains; buildings over 11 metres require dry rising mains. These requirements are regularly missed on designs where fire engineering was not integrated early.

Issue 5: External Wall Fire Spread Not Addressed

For buildings over 18 metres, the external wall must achieve European Classification A1 or A2 — non-combustible or limited combustibility. For buildings below 18 metres, external wall fire spread must still be addressed in the fire strategy. This issue is increasingly scrutinised by building control bodies following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Issue 6: Disabled Evacuation Not Addressed

Most modern buildings must address the evacuation needs of people who cannot use stairs in an emergency. Building control expects to see refuge areas specified, with communication systems and management procedures set out in the fire strategy. This is frequently absent from fire strategies.