Circular letter on Approved Document B 2019 edition

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To:

The Chief Executive:

Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England

County and County Borough Councils in Wales

The Town Clerk, City of London

The Clerk, Council of the Isles of Scilly

The Sub-Treasurer, Inner Temple

The Under Treasurer, Middle Temple

The Head of Building Control:

Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England

County and County Borough Councils in Wales

City of London

Council of the Isles of Scilly

Approved Inspectors cc: The Chief Executive:

County Councils in England

National Park Authorities in England & Wales

Chair: National Fire Chiefs Council

5July 2019

Dear Sir or Madam

New clarified Approved Document B

I am writing to inform you of the publication of the new clarified Approved Document B (Fire safety) 2019 edition:

•Volume 1: Dwellings

•Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings

Transitional arrangement

The new approved documents do not apply in any case where a building notice or an initial notice has been given to, or full plans deposited with, a local authority and either the building work to which it relates -

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(a) has started before the date that a building notice, initial notice or full plans have been deposited or

(b) is started within the period of two months beginning on that date the building notice, initial notice or full plans have been deposited.

The new approved documents will come into force on 30 August 2019

Scope of this Circular Letter

The guidance in this Circular Letter applies to buildings and building work in England.

Publications MHCLG

Circular 02/2019, which describes the amendments more fully is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-document-b-july-2019-edition- circular-022019

The Approved Document B (Fire safety) 2019 edition can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b

The Government response to the consultation on the clarification of statutory guidance (Approved Document B) is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fire-safety-clarification-of-statutory- guidance-approved-document-b

Hard copies of the Approved Document B (Fire safety) 2019 edition will be available from the publisher shortly.

Summary of main changes

Approved Document B has been redrafted to clarify its language and content in line with the Department’s style guide for approved documents. There are no changes to the technical guidance within Approved Document B.

As well as trying to ensure that the document uses plain English, the document has been significantly restructured. In 2006, the two volumes of ADB were split between dwelling houses and all other buildings. This split was inconsistent with other Approved Documents which have now been split between dwellings and non-dwellings. The design of blocks of flats moves from volume 2 to volume 1.

It is important to note that no new policy is being introduced as a result of this work. A separate call for evidence on the technical review of the building regulations and associated fire safety guidance (Approved Document B) closed on 15 March 2019. The responses are being considered and further announcements will be made in due course. Future policy changes will be subject to separate public consultation.

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Enquiries

Telephone enquiries on this Circular Letter should be addressed to Technical Policy Division on 0303 444 0000 and all e-mail enquiries to enquiries.br@communities.gov.uk.

Yours faithfully

F Kirwan

Deputy Director

Technical Policy Division

Building Safety Portfolio