Southwark Council in South London has commenced surveys on the first of 170 high-rise buildings in the borough, ahead of new changes for building regulations coming into force.
Inside Housing reports that the council has said that is it currently testing the practicalities of the intrusive surveys that will be required as part of the changes to buildings in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
The changes include the Fire Safety Act, which was passed by parliament in 2021, and the Building Safety Bill, which is expected to be passed later this year.
The Fire Safety Act will ensure that buildings’ external structure is brought into the scope of current fire safety regulations, while the Building Safety Bill will introduce wider changes, including a new Building Safety Regulator.
Southwark Council’s surveys are due to begin with Andoversford Court in Peckham, which has been selected because it has eight floors and specific features that would influence the way that fire travels.
A part of the survey will consider the exterior of the building and any communal areas, and it may be necessary for the council to open up walls and ceilings, as well as check both sides of residents’ fire doors, which is a new requirement under the legislation.
The council has said that it does not expect to find any ‘serious safety actions’ due to the current fire strategy in place in the building, but it has pledged to act on any serious findings.
Some residents may also be asked to allow the council to access their apartments for building information modelling (BIM), which is used to create a 3D model of buildings, including exteriors, communal areas, and properties within the block. This is being tested to see if it might also be useful elsewhere on the programme.
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