Effect of Building Safety Act on Lowering Structure Heights

Impact of New Fire Safety Regulations on UK Building Development

The introduction of new fire safety regulations for tall buildings in the UK is set to significantly alter the landscape of development, enforcing stricter safety standards and introducing increased costs and complexities.

Key Changes and Challenges

Fire Safety Standards and Building Design: The new BS EN 81-76:2025 standard requires evacuation lifts in tall residential buildings, necessitating more complex and costly features such as Class A or B evacuation lifts depending on the building complexity[1]. This will impact developer costs and feasibility.
Delays and Backlog in Planning Approvals: The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has identified a significant backlog in safety approvals, with developers now waiting an average of 36 weeks for approvals—a major increase from the target of 12 weeks[5]. This delay affects the timeline and costs of developing tall buildings.

Impacts on Land Values, Housing Supply, and Affordable Housing

Impacts on Land Values and Housing Supply: With increased construction and compliance costs, developers may be less willing or able to develop certain sites profitably. This, combined with extended planning approval times, could reduce the pace of development, potentially affecting land values—especially for sites suited to high-rise buildings requiring these safety features.
Affordable Housing Policies and Delivery: Government initiatives aim to make development on smaller sites easier and less costly, such as streamlined planning for up to nine homes and exemptions from some levies on medium sites[2]. However, the increased safety requirements on taller buildings may counterbalance these measures by adding complexity and costs to larger developments, potentially impacting the overall affordable housing supply mix.

Council Planning and Regulations

Council Planning and Regulations: Local authorities and the MHCLG are tasked with enforcing fire safety alongside housing policy, adding complexity to their planning processes[2]. The necessity to comply with new fire safety regulations will require councils to adapt planning conditions, potentially slowing decision-making but improving building safety outcomes.

Urban Planning Implications

Broader Urban Planning Implications: Stricter fire safety may encourage a shift toward more mid-rise or smaller developments rather than very tall buildings due to complexity and cost, shaping urban density and skyline aesthetics. This shift could influence affordability and land use patterns in urban areas.

Overall, the new fire safety regulations represent a vital advancement in protecting residents of tall buildings but introduce added costs, planning delays, and compliance challenges that will affect both the economics of building tall and the strategic decisions of councils and developers regarding urban housing supply and land values[1][2][5].

Developers who submit a planning application for a lower height development than previously consented may face criticism, even if it's financially optimal and delivers policy-compliant levels of affordable housing. The impact on tight development sites is likely to be greatest due to the new legislation.

The UK government has announced that the threshold for the introduction of second staircases into new residential buildings will be reduced to 18 metres, effective in the region of seven storeys in height. The reduction in viable sites for eight, nine or ten storey developments in certain locations, such as Zones 3-6 in Greater London, could force urban councils to look at additional or alternative sites for housing. The alternative might be for developers to maximize building footprints and minimize the impact on the saleable area. The preference might shift towards developments being reduced to seven storeys or below, or even towards even taller developments, which could greatly increase density. In eight-storey developments in London, the reduction in gross development value could be £1-2m per floor and a total reduction of possibly £15m or more.

[1] Building Regulations - Approved Document B - Volume 1: Dwelling houses - Fire safety (2019) [2] National Planning Policy Framework (2019) [3] The Housing and Planning Act 2016 [4] The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) [5] National Audit Office (2019) - Fire Safety in High-Rise Residential Buildings: Progress and Remaining Challenges

Effect of Building Safety Act on Lowering Structure Heights