Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Paragraph: 151
The post-Grenfell prohibition on the use of combustible materials in external walls has had a...
Conclusion
The post-Grenfell prohibition on the use of combustible materials in external walls has had a disproportionate impact on the use, innovation and testing of structural timber. Material safety perceptions have also affected the availability and cost of insurance, making it near impossible for developers to use timber in high rise or medium-rise buildings. There has been a substantial delay in the Government’s response to its consultation on amendments to the combustible materials ban, 68 Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction which closed in May 2020. This delay is unacceptable: it has left the construction industry without the guidance and confidence it needs to invest in timber structures.
Government Response Summary
The Government has kept the outright ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of new blocks of flats, hospitals, and student accommodation over 18 metres, and introduced statutory guidance for residential buildings between 11 metres and 18 metres (to commence on 1 December 2022).
Paragraph Reference:
151
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Following consultation, the Government has taken the proportionate approach of keeping the outright ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of new blocks of flats, hospitals, and student accommodation over 18 metres. It has also introduced statutory guidance for residential buildings between 11 metres and 18 metres (to commence on 1 December 2022). the two highest reaction to fire classifications. The new guidance will provide scope to build lower-risk 11-18m residential buildings with more sustainable materials, provided they are used safely. This update of the guidance builds on the update made in 2020 making provisions for sprinklers in blocks of flats more than 11m in height. In all cases, for buildings at any height, the functional requirement of Part B of the Building Regulations to adequately resist fire spread over external walls must be met. We have committed to keep the ban, its scope and effectiveness, under close review.