August 2021

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Measures to ensure fire safety matters are incorporated at the planning stage for schemes involving a relevant high-rise residential building. Measures to ensure the consideration of fire safety matters as they relate to land use planning are incorporated at the planning stage for schemes involving a relevant high-rise residential building. Following the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017 the government commissioned the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt. Building a Safer Future’ consultation’ to introduce planning gateway one.

Why is planning gateway one being introduced? The changes are intended to help ensure that applicants and decision-makers consider planning issues relevant to fire safety, bringing forward thinking on fire safety matters as they relate to land use planning to the earliest possible stage in the development process and result in better schemes which fully integrate thinking on fire safety. Procedure Order 2015 as amended by article 4 of the 2021 Order. It may be necessary to amend the provisions in future to align with arrangements to be made under the Building Safety Bill. How is building height measured, and how are storeys counted for planning gateway one?

Diagram measuring height of building for planning gateway one shows that the height should be measured from the upper floor surface of the top floor to ground level on the lowest side of the building. Excluding roof top plant areas and any top storeys consisting exclusively of plant rooms. Diagram showing that basement storeys should not be counted when counting storeys, and where the number of storeys varies from ground level they should be counted from the lowest external ground level. To count the number of storeys in a building, count only at the position which gives the greatest number and only exclude a storey if it is entirely below ground level.