27/05/2020
Following the tragic Grenfell Fire in 2017 fears have spread in the industry around the use of timber frame buildings. In a consultation this week, the government is planning to reduce the maximum height of wood-framed buildings from six storeys to four. The move has been recommended by the emergency services in order to reduce fire risk.
In a consultation ending on Monday, ministers propose the height of timber-based flats, hotels, and boarding houses should be limited to 11 metres tall (that’s 3-4 storeys), potentially ruling out the use of timber frames on high rise buildings.
In higher buildings timber would be permitted in floors but banned from outside walls.
This further tightens rules introduced after the Grenfell disaster, following representation from fire authorities.
Read more about the consultation here.
Read BBC news article here.
