northamptonshire fire and rescue service

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Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

FIRE AND RESCUE PRE-APPLICATION INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPERS DESIGNING NEW RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL

DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

PRODUCED BY

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE (NFRS)

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Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE ......................................................................................... 3

2 DESIGNING NEW DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES ............................................................... 3

3 FIRE AND RESCUE PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION PROCESS ......................... 4

4 IMPACT OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON SERVICE DELIVERY ...................................... 5

4.1 Fire and Rescue Infrastructure ............................................................................... 5

4.2 Fire Hydrant Provision ............................................................................................ 5

5 FIRE AND RESCUE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................... 6

5.1 Fire Appliance Access Requirements ..................................................................... 6

5.2 Fire Appliance Dimensions ..................................................................................... 7

5.3 Parking Schemes ................................................................................................... 8

5.4 Enhancing Community Fire Safety and Deterring Arson ...................................... 10

5.5 Waste and Recycling Provision (bin stores) ......................................................... 11

5.6 Water Supplies and Fire Hydrants ........................................................................ 12

5.7 Fire Suppression Systems (sprinklers) ................................................................. 13

5.8 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) ................................................................. 15

5.9 Planning out Crime in Northamptonshire .............................................................. 16

5.10 Impact on Building Control Stage of Application ................................................... 17

6 USEFUL CONTACTS ..................................................................................................... 17

6.1 Fire and Rescue Service ...................................................................................... 17

6.2 Northamptonshire Highways ................................................................................ 18

6.3 Northamptonshire Police ...................................................................................... 19

APPENDIX A – Checklist for Developers .......................................................................... 20

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1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

This document has been produced by NFRS to provide information, advice and guidance to developers and support Local Planning Authorities (LPA) on issues relating to fire safety at the development control stage when designing new residential and commercial development schemes. NFRS are keen to work with developers, LPAs, and other partners, such as Northamptonshire Police, in order to promote the concept of designing safety into any new development scheme to reduce opportunities of arson, crime and anti-social behaviour occurring. It is recognised that some of the information and guidance detailed within this document are not classed as material planning considerations as they are controlled through other legislation such as the Building Regulations, or support guidance provided by other consultees, for example Northamptonshire County Council’s (NCC’s) Highways department. However, we would recommend and encourage that where information is not able to be considered as a material planning consideration the information/guidance contained within is still considered by developers as advice/information and implemented within development schemes as appropriate. Underpinned by statutory obligations within the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, the Fire and Rescue National Framework sets out the Government’s expectations of fire authorities for reducing and managing community risk through proactive prevention and protection activity and providing an efficient and effective emergency response. In addition, Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires local authorities, including fire and rescue authorities, to consider crime and disorder reductions and community safety in the exercise of all their duties and activities. By implementing, where appropriate, the design considerations outlined within this guidance, it will contribute towards creating sustainable communities, whilst also contributing to reducing the environmental and economic impact which fires and other emergencies may have on communities. In addition, by taking into consideration guidance it can reduce the cost of having to retrospectively fit alternative solutions at the Building Control stage of an application.

2 DESIGNING NEW DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES This guidance document provides developers and LPAs with information relating to key requirements which NFRS would wish to see incorporated into all new residential and commercial development proposals, where appropriate. NFRS strongly encourage developers/LPAs to use this guidance document and the pre-application period to ensure that fire and rescue design considerations are incorporated into

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proposals at the earliest opportunity, and that where relevant and appropriate, evidence is included within the Masterplan and Design and Access Statement documents, and other relevant documentation, for the development. The key areas from a fire and rescue perspective which pre-application consultation should focus on are:

Do the road and access schemes meet the requirements of fire and rescue appliances and vehicles set out within this document?

Is fire hydrant provision likely to be required within the proposed development?

Has consideration been given to any specific fire safety measures which may be required within the development (e.g. sprinkler systems, smoke extraction systems)?

Appendix A details a checklist for developers of the key fire and rescue design considerations elements and we encourage this is used when proposals are developed. Where developers/LPAs wish to consult with NFRS at the pre-application stage on any particular issue, the Fire and Rescue Pre-Application consultation process below should be followed. 3 FIRE AND RESCUE PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION PROCESS The information contained within this document should provide developers with the information, advice and guidance to support them when designing new residential and commercial development schemes. If further information or consultation is required at the pre-application stage, the process detailed below should be followed by developers/LPAs:

1. LPAs, where they deem appropriate, to circulate this guidance or draw developers’ attention towards it, as part of the pre-application process.

2. Developers to review and, where appropriate, have consideration for and incorporate

the appropriate design consideration(s) within their proposed plans. NFRS would expect that appropriate fire and rescue design considerations are incorporated and evidenced within the Masterplan/Design and Access statements and other relevant documentation for the development where it is deemed appropriate to do so (e.g. relates to a material planning consideration).

3. Where developers and/or LPAs have queries which are unable to be answered by the

guidance provided within this document, queries should be emailed to [email protected] where it will be filtered and forwarded to the relevant Fire Protection area.

4. The appropriate Fire Service Officer will review the query and provide a response to

LPA or to the developer with a copy to the LPA, whichever is appropriate.

5. Once the proposed development reaches consultation stage, if NFRS feels it appropriate to submit a consultation response the requirements set out within this

mailto:[email protected]

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guidance document will be referred to. This will either be through an individual consultation response, or through a joint consultation response with Northamptonshire Police.

6. If a specific query is raised at this point then this should be sent the above email

address where a Fire Service Officer will be assigned to review and respond as necessary.

4 IMPACT OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON SERVICE DELIVERY New development schemes place additional demand for fire and rescue resources, both in terms of the need for additional capital investment in new facilities, vehicles and equipment, and also the need to provide fire hydrants to ensure adequate water supplies for fire-fighting are available. This is to ensure safe places are maintained, consistent with national Government expectations and guidance. 4.1 Fire and Rescue Infrastructure The demands on fire and rescue resources as a result of growth manifest themselves in a variety of forms, dependent on the scale and nature of the proposed development, including the need for the Service to:

Introduce new types of fleet (e.g. smaller ‘rapid response’ initial intervention vehicles);

Add new bays to existing fire stations to accommodate additional vehicles;

Relocate or provide new response facilities (e.g. fire stations);

Introduce new types of equipment;

Reduce risk and demand through the provision of fire suppression systems (sprinklers) in appropriate developments.

The Service will request developer contributions to mitigate the impact on service delivery in the form of a S106 agreement. As part of the consultation stage, NFRS will advise where a planning application results in the need for a developer contribution/planning obligation, and will submit this request in writing. This will either be directly from the Service or via NCC’s Development Management department (as NFRS are a County Council Fire and Rescue Service). It should be noted that NFRS are happy to engage in discussions with developers at a pre-application stage to discuss any potential infrastructure requirements at the earliest opportunity. Further information is available by contacting the Business Planning Manager (BPM) or the Development Management department at NCC (see contact details within section 6). 4.2 Fire Hydrant Provision The requirement for new or additional fire hydrant infrastructure is usually as a direct result of new development schemes. Therefore the costs associated with fire hydrant installation should be borne by the developer.

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New developments require fire hydrants to be installed to ensure there are adequate water supplies to fight any fires which may occur on the development. NFRS will be seeking to recover the capital costs. Technical specifications relating to the provision of fire hydrants is detailed within section 5.6. 5 FIRE AND RESCUE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

5.1 Fire Appliance Access Requirements Fire appliances and crews provide lifesaving services at all times of day, and the requirement for swift response and intervention is paramount. To support this it is essential that road layouts are designed in such a way which allows easy access for emergency services’ appliances and vehicles. Where poor design occurs it can create street layouts where the effectiveness of fire appliances reaching incidents within operational response times is severely reduced. This can cause unnecessary delays in reaching incidents which leads to an increased risk to public safety. Therefore, it is important that when designing road schemes, developers need to consider the minimum access route specifications for emergency vehicles. The requirements for emergency vehicles are generally dictated by fire service requirements. Providing access for large fire appliances (including the need to be able to work around them where appropriate) will also cater for police vehicles and ambulances. Access for fire appliances is detailed in both the Department for Transport (DfT) publication ‘Manual for Streets 1’ (MfS1) and the Building Regulations Approved Document B – Fire Safety (Volumes 1 and 2). Both these publications set out the access requirements for fire appliances. It should be noted that Northamptonshire Highways will consider these requirements when reviewing development proposals to ensure that they satisfy the requirements set out within the MfS1 and Building Regulations Approved Document B – Fire Safety (Volumes 1 and 2) with regards to emergency access. When designing road schemes, developers should take into consideration the following points to ensure fire appliance access is not compromised in the event of an emergency:

There should be a minimum carriageway width of 3.7 metres between kerbs

There should be vehicle access for a pump appliance to within 45 metres of all points within a dwelling house

There should be vehicle access for a pump appliance within 45 metres of every dwelling entrance for flats/maisonettes

A vehicle access route may be a road or other route

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Turning facilities should be provided in any dead end access that is more than 20 metres long. This can be by hammerhead or turning circle

Minimum height clearance should be 4.0 metres

It is considered road bases built to withstand 23 tonnes will suffice, however bridges should have 25 tonne capacity

If an authority or developer wishes to reduce the running carriageway width to below 3.7 metre, they should contact [email protected] where it will be filtered and forwarded to the relevant Fire Protection area.

It should be noted that MfS1 removes the restriction on the number of units that can be served from a single point of access. Northamptonshire Highways will provide comments on a scheme by scheme basis to assess whether relevant proposals should include secondary access points. Where developers/LPAs require further information regarding this they should be discussed with Northamptonshire Highways in the first instance (see contact details in section 6).

On large development schemes over 200 dwellings Northamptonshire Highways require a second point of vehicular access on the basis of historic risks associated with multiple incidents occurring (such as an accident or fire blocking the site access junction, or a second incident occurring within a development which also requires emergency response). If a second full vehicle access is not possible or inappropriate for developments over 200 dwellings, then options for an ‘emergency vehicle access’ should be discussed with Northamptonshire Highways. For example this may double as a cycle footways which are adopted with lockable/knock down bollards if necessary.

If Northamptonshire Highways feel that NFRS should be involved they will advise the developer/LPA to consult with NFRS directly. NFRS operate vehicles which are outside of the requirements set out within the Building Regulations Approved Document B – Fire Safety (Volumes 1 and 2), especially for buildings which may be required to be accessed by a high reach vehicle (e.g. flats). Details of appliance dimensions are detailed within section 2 of this guidance document. If in doubt when designing road schemes, developers should contact [email protected] where it will be filtered and forwarded to the relevant Fire Protection area.

5.2 Fire Appliance Dimensions NFRS operate a wide range of emergency response vehicles to deal with all types of incidents. The two primary appliance types which are used within the Service are:

Standard Pumping Appliance (Fire Engine)

Combined Aerial Rescue Pump (CARP) Some of these vehicles are outside of the requirements set out within the Building Regulations. Therefore developers should use the dimensions of these appliances (detailed below) when designing road schemes within the county.



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Standard Pumping Appliance The Standard Pumping Appliance is the primary response vehicle type within the fleet and is equipped to respond to a wide range of incident types. The dimensions of a Standard Pumping Appliance used within the Service are:

Weight: 16 tonnes

Height: 3.3 metres

Length: 8.0 metres

Width: 2.5 metres CARP The CARP is a combination of a traditional fire appliance with the addition of a 28 metre aerial rescue platform. NFRS currently has two CARP appliances within its fleet. In addition to being used as a standard pumping appliance, the CARP provides the Service with its aerial firefighting capability. Planners and developers should use the following dimensions for buildings that require to be accessed by a high reach vehicle, in accordance with the Building Regulations Approved Document B – Fire Safety (Volumes 1 and 2):

Weight: 23 tonnes

Height: 3.7 metres

Length: 9.5 metres

Width: 2.5 metres 5.3 Parking Schemes Poorly designed parking provision/schemes can impact on the Fire and Rescue Service in a number of ways, including:

Impact on fire and rescue operational response times – any delays in intervention will only serve to increase the risk where rescue is required

A potential increase in the opportunities of crime, anti-social behaviour and arson occurring

Therefore, in order to reduce the impact which poorly designed parking schemes may have on the fire and rescue service; we ask that developers consider the sensible design of parking schemes within all new developments. NCC as the Local Highways Authority, will be able to provide advice and guidance with regards to the design of parking provision within proposed development schemes. Guidance has been produced to assist developers and local planning authorities with regards to this, including:

Northamptonshire Highways Development Management Strategy

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A copy of this document is available from Northamptonshire Highways department. To support this we provide the following advice: Impact on standards of operational response On developments where roadside parking is permitted, particularly on residential developments, it can prove difficult for fire appliances to manoeuvre in between parked cars, especially where roads are not particularly wide. Where this occurs, it can affect the Service meeting operational response times. On residential developments a large proportion of the incidents could be ‘life risk’ and therefore reaching the incident in the quickest time possible is imperative. This is emphasised within the MfS1 which states (paragraph 6.7, page 75) that ‘parked cars can have a significant influence on response times. Developments should have adequate provision for parking to reduce its impact on response times’. We therefore ask that these points are considered by developers when designing road and parking schemes, along with the access requirements set out in section 5.1 – Fire appliance access requirements. By ensuring that parking design solutions are considered a priority at the design stage, it will reduce the need to have to retrospectively introduce further parking management solutions or undertake further work at a later date. Impact on community safety Problematic parking schemes do not just potentially impact on fire and rescue operational response times. They can also contribute to wider community safety problems. Where parking provision is poorly designed, for example where parking provision is provided which lacks surveillance by surrounding buildings, it can lead to an increase in the opportunities of crime, anti-social behaviour and arson occurring. It can also have wider social, economic and environmental impacts on communities. Therefore, we recommend that the following considerations should be taken into account when designing parking schemes:

Parking should be within close proximity of dwellings

Where possible, residents should have unrestricted views over their vehicles from routinely inhabited rooms

Garages located at the rear of property should have controlled access via a private gate for safety and security

Garages should be designed and positioned so that they cannot be used as climbing aids to gain access to properties

Parking courtyards should be designed to create a sense of place so that the court is a place with parking in it, rather than a car park

Where parking courts are designed, emergency access needs to be considered (e.g. if the courtyard is situated under an archway)

Parking courtyards should be designed in a way which encourages local residents to use them

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Parking courts should not exceed 10 no. spaces. If there are more than 10 spaces the layout should be broken up

Parking courts should be overlooked by habitable or active rooms in neighbouring buildings and sensitive lighting provided

Parking courts should have secure access

Parking courts should include sheltered secure parking facilities for bicycles and motorbikes/mopeds

Design solutions should include measures such as the need to protect access to fire hydrants where these locations are known

5.4 Enhancing Community Fire Safety and Deterring Arson

When designing new development schemes, we encourage developers to consider installing the following types of community fire safety design measures, where appropriate, in all properties and areas within development schemes:

Sensible design of waste and recycling stores – consideration needs to be given to the location of any combustible storage so that it is secured away from other materials or buildings to which fire may spread (see section 5.5 of this document for further guidance)

The provision of fire suppression systems in dwellings/sleeping accommodation classed as high risk and all commercial premises (see section 5.7 of this document for further guidance)

Installation of appropriate hard wired fire detection systems (smoke alarms) in all dwellings

Smoke extraction systems to protect communal means of escape, where appropriate

Appropriate security lighting and surveillance systems Through the sensible design of development schemes by incorporating appropriate fire safety design measures, community safety can be enhanced. NFRS support the Police initiative Secured by Design (SBD) and encourage the principles of SBD to be applied to new development schemes as these should have a positive effect on deterring the likelihood of anti-social behaviour and arson occurring. The occurrence of arson can be reduced and its effects controlled if consideration is given in advance to incorporating the above design and security measures within all new developments. In addition, mail delivery systems (letterboxes) present a potential arson risk and we encourage that developers consider installing the following ‘anti-arson’ design measure within developments where appropriate:

Fitting a lockable letterbox flap on the inside of the front door of domestic properties around the letter plate to prevent items passing through the letter plate aperture; this would give the occupier the ability to choose when they wish to make the letterbox available, and the cost of installing this would be negligible

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The SBD New Homes 2014 Guide (or subsequent guidance) provides further details on this element. Further advice and guidance on reducing opportunities for arson is available from the Northamptonshire Arson Task Force (contact details within section 6). 5.5 Waste and Recycling Provision (bin stores)

The involvement of waste materials and wheelie bins in fires is often not recognised, so it is essential that safe, adequate waste management facilities (wheelie bin stores) are provided within all new developments. Combustible waste materials can attract and provide fuel for arsonists, and should therefore be secured. Bin stores in Northamptonshire are usually constructed out of the following materials: brick, metal and timber. Whatever the bin store is constructed from, the basic principle is to ensure that it is located in a position which would not affect life or means of escape in the event of a fire involving the bin store. Developers should ensure that within their plans, they have identified a suitable location for wheelie bins and refuse to ensure safe waste management arrangements on all new developments. NFRS ask developers to give careful consideration to the positioning of storage facilities for wheelie bins and ‘Euro’ Bins, and if no local adopted guidance is available would encourage developers to take on board the following points when designing schemes:

Bin stores should, wherever possible, be external to the building, if this is not possible they must not be located in protected routes or stairwells, as in the event of fire this would compromise the escape route for any residents

We recommend the ideal position for a bin store should be at least 8 metres away from any building

Access to bin stores should not be sited next to escape routes, final exits or rear windows of dwellings

Bin storage areas should be separated by structure giving 60 minutes fire resistance from the rest of the building.

Bin stores in Northamptonshire are currently constructed in a number of materials – timber, metal and brick, which all have their advantages; however NFRS prefer that bin stores are constructed from brick

Exterior bin stores should be built where there is natural surveillance and reasonable lighting to improve security

The store should be locked if possible with only residents having access

The location of bin stores must not restrict access to fire hydrant locations

To facilitate easy movement of refuse collection lorries, local authorities with responsibility for waste management may recommend that they should not be more than 15 metres from the highway, and residents should not have to travel more than 30 metres to deposit refuse

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By implementing these recommendations within new schemes, the opportunities of arson associated with wheelie bins occurring should be reduced. Further advice and guidance on design approaches with regards to waste and recycling facilities is available from the Northamptonshire Arson Task Force (contact details can be found within section 6). 5.6 Water Supplies and Fire Hydrants NFRS require fire hydrants to be installed within new developments to ensure adequate water infrastructure provision to meet firefighting requirements as determined by the Fire and Rescue Authority. On average one fire hydrant is required for approximately 50 dwellings or 5000m2 of commercial floor space. However, it should be noted that where smaller developments are proposed (those which are below 50 dwellings in size), additional fire hydrant provision may still be required depending on what current hydrant infrastructure is within the area. NFRS will undertake a risk based approach to determining whether additional fire hydrant provision is required for these smaller developments. The final number and locations of fire hydrants for each development must be agreed with NFRS prior to installation. Funding new fire hydrant provision As detailed within section 4.2, NFRS will be seeking to recover the capital costs associated with this from the developer. Technical specifications for fire hydrants When considering the installation of fire hydrants, developers should take into consideration the following specifications and requirements detailed below, which NFRS seek with all new hydrant installations:

Fire hydrants should be provided on the water main and installed at the same time as the rest of the water infrastructure – this should avoid excessive costs to the developer

Final locations of fire hydrants should be agreed in consultation with the NFRS Water Officer

The minimum size of a suitable water main for a fire hydrant is 75mm inner or 90mm outer, although NFRS prefer sizes of 100mm inner or 125mm outer

For residential developments, fire hydrants should not be positioned more than 200 metres apart

Hydrants within developments of public buildings (e.g. schools, hospitals) and commercial buildings should not be positioned more than 150 metres apart

In addition, for buildings other than dwelling houses, developers should meet the requirements of sections 15 and 16 (Fire Mains and Hydrants and Vehicle Access) of

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Building Regulations Approved Document B, volume 2 – Buildings other than dwelling houses

Hydrants should preferably be located adjacent to roadways on verges or pathways, and away from walls, driveways, trees and boundaries so access is not restricted

Hydrants should be installed and in working order before any dwelling/building on a development becomes inhabited – the Water Company should inform the NFRS Water Officer once installation is complete to ensure that NFRS can check the hydrant is fully functioning ahead of adopting

When installing fire hydrants within new developments, developers should note the section on fire hydrants within the guide produced by Anglian Water, entitled ‘A Site Manager’s guide to new water mains and service connections on new developments’. This is available from the Anglian Water website www.anglianwater.co.uk.

Agreeing final locations of new fire hydrants The final position of fire hydrants, and any queries relating to technical aspects within new developments should be agreed in consultation with the NFRS Water Officer at the earliest opportunity, using the contact details in section 6. 5.7 Fire Suppression Systems (sprinklers) NFRS very strongly recommend developers, architects, and local planning authorities install sprinkler systems within the built environment of Northamptonshire. Sprinklers are not only installed for life safety, but they also provide excellent property protection from fire. Sprinklers significantly reduce the impact on the environment; by reduced CO2 emissions, smoke products and water run-off; they support the safer communities’ agenda and are an integral feature of business continuity planning. Sprinklers also allow flexibility for building designers, allowing trade-offs in means of escape, structural protection and compliance with building regulations, where compliance by traditional methods cannot be achieved. Insurance companies also offer reduced premiums for buildings fitted with sprinklers. Commercial sprinkler systems should be installed to BSEN 12845:2004 and A2:2009. All sprinkler systems must be designed, installed, commissioned and certificated by a competent person. Where the intention is not to install sprinklers NFRS request that a cost vs benefit analysis is undertaken to consider the true costs of a sprinklered building against one built without sprinklers. This process must consider the potential arson risk of the proposed development and the reduced build costs that a sprinklered building provides through “trade-offs”. “It is strongly recommended that the Fire Authority is consulted during this process so that the full benefits of “trade-offs” can be realised.” Residential premises Sprinklers are designed for life safety. A large proportion of fire deaths occur within the vulnerable community – the very old, the very young, disabled and those affected by drugs and alcohol. The installation of a fire sprinkler system complying to BS 9251: 2014: for

http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/

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domestic and residential premises will control the fire and allow persons to exit the premises safely.

These sprinkler systems are low cost to install (in the region of 1-2% of the total build cost)

if installation takes place during the build stage. They are a proven means of reducing the number of fire deaths and injuries within the community. NFRS very strongly recommends the provision of sprinkler systems in dwellings classed as high risk such as:

Affordable/Social housing

Residential care homes

Nursing homes

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

Hostels

Sheltered accommodation

Flats

Non-residential/commercial premises The impact of a fire in a commercial premise will not only have an immediate impact on the organisation and threaten business continuity, but can have wider economic and environmental impacts on a community. Therefore, NFRS very strongly recommends the provision of a sprinkler system to BS EN 12845:2004 and A2:2009, to be installed in all new developments of:

Commercial/industrial premises such as: o Warehouses o Factories o Retail outlets

Offices

Schools and colleges The benefits of sprinkler systems The provision of sprinkler systems in properties will provide a number of benefits, including:

Technical o By installing at the build stage, costs are kept to a minimum, residential sprinkler

systems operate via a series of plastic pipework that is run in the same way as electricity cables and gas pipework, so they are simple to install

o If the mains pressure is sufficient, the sprinkler system should be fed directly from the mains, negating the need to provide a sprinkler tank, the minimum operating pressure at the highest point is 0.5 bars for a residential sprinkler system

o A 10 minute water supply for a category 1 system requires a tank with a capacity of 1.0m - 1.5m cubed

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Reduced Environmental Impact o Reduced negative impact to water, land, air and the environment o Reduced requirement for hazardous waste disposal o Reduced carbon emissions, reduced contribution to UK carbon footprint not just in

carbon produced in a fire but also the carbon required to rebuild should the building burn down

o Reduced water use and damage

Property Protection and Rebuild Costs o Reducing fire resistance requirements for building materials, fire doors, glazing

and walls leading to reduction in cost o Losses from fires in buildings protected with sprinklers are estimated to be 1/10 of

those in unprotected buildings o Sprinkler systems protect your asset; insurance companies should reduce your

premiums for sprinkler coverage

Economic o Reduced business disruption and reduced business costs (loss of stock,

equipment, clear up, waste disposal o No job losses o Reduced adverse impact on business reputation, on clients and on the supply

chain

Social and Community o Reduced adverse community impact (associated with local disruption,

evacuations, cordons, road closures etc.) o Improved business reputation, particularly within the local community o Reduced adverse impact on local community infrastructure

Sustainability o In fully sprinklered buildings 99% of fires were controlled by sprinklers alone,

ensuring the building will never burn down and remain for generations to come

Further information on sprinkler systems is available from NFRS via email: [email protected] or telephone: 01604 797000. (Please mark any emails for the attention/request to speak to the Prevention and Community Protection Department) or by visiting the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association website (www.bafsa.org.uk). 5.8 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) The following table details the benchmark fire precautions in HMOs. Any variations are to be justified by the Fire Risk Assessment. This information should be passed to the applicant to implement as necessary.


http://www.bafsa.org.uk/

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5.9 Planning out Crime in Northamptonshire NFRS work closely with Northamptonshire Police and other stakeholders to reduce the opportunities of crime, anti-social behaviour and arson occurring. In partnership with the County Council and District and Borough Councils, Northamptonshire Police has produced Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on ‘Planning out Crime in Northamptonshire’. The main aim of this SPG is to minimise crime and the fear of crime by ensuring that new developments incorporate crime prevention measures through design. Crime and anti-social behaviour does not just impact on the police, but also on a wide range of other stakeholders, including NFRS. For example, poorly designed developments can increase the occurrence of crime and anti-social behaviour such as arson which leads to increased pressure on the Fire and Rescue Service. It is therefore essential that developers take into consideration the principles set out within the ‘Planning out Crime in Northamptonshire’ SPG when designing schemes. Secured by Design In addition, NFRS support the implementation of the principles of Secured by Design (SBD). SBD is a police initiative to encourage the building industry to adopt crime prevention measures in the design of developments, to assist in reducing the opportunity for crime and

One or two storey less than 200 Sq M

Three or more storey greater than 200 Sq M

Fire Risk Assessment Yes, but no requirement to be recorded

Yes, has to be recorded

Fire Alarm BS 5839-6:2013 Grade D Category LD2

BS 5839-6: 2013 Grade A Category LD2

Call Points No Yes

Emergency Lighting Not normally required Yes

Fire Resistance

30 minutes to bedroom corridors and protected stairs 60 minutes between cellar and ground floor or 30 minutes and linked fire alarm covering the cellar

30 minutes to bedroom corridors and protected stairs 60 minutes between cellar and ground floor or 30 minutes and linked fire alarm covering the cellar

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the fear of crime, creating a safer and more secure environment. Information on the scheme is available at www.securedbydesign.com. We encourage developers to discuss proposed development schemes with a Crime Prevention Design Advisor at Northamptonshire Police (contact details in section 6). 5.10 Impact on Building Control Stage of Application Although the requirements of Building Regulations will be considered at the Building Control stage of the application, it is important that certain requirements of these, such as emergency appliance access requirements, are considered during the development control stage. Where issues do not meet required standards as set out in the Building Regulations, retrospective work is likely to be required in order to rectify any issues. This will not only cause extra delays to a development being completed, but could also result in additional costs for developers. By taking into consideration the guidance detailed within this document and applying it, development schemes should meet necessary access requirements and this element should pass the building control stage. This will save developers time and money, as the need for retrospective work on this issue will be nullified. We would also recommend that developers consider the requirements of the following Building Regulations documents when designing schemes:

Approved Document B (Fire Safety): Volume 1 – Dwelling houses

Approved Document B (Fire Safety): Volume 2 – Buildings other than Dwelling houses

6 USEFUL CONTACTS 6.1 Fire and Rescue Service To discuss fire and rescue requirements relating to planning obligations please contact: Business Planning Manager Northamptonshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service Walker House 3 Pondwood Close Northampton NN3 9RT Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01604 797000

http://www.securedbydesign.com/


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Projects Manager Development Infrastructure and Funding Northamptonshire County Council County Hall Northampton NN1 1DN Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01604 366634 For general advice and guidance on reducing the opportunities of arson occurring please contact: Arson Task Force Northamptonshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service The Headlands Kettering Northamptonshire NN15 6BH Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01604 797163 For advice on the provision of fire hydrants in new developments please contact: Water Officer Northamptonshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service Walker House 3 Pondwood Close Northampton NN3 9RT Email: [email protected] (mark emails for the attention of the Water Officer) Telephone: 01604 797125 6.2 Northamptonshire Highways For detailed advice and guidance on highways and access provision please contact: Development Management Northamptonshire Highways Riverside House Riverside Way Northampton NN1 5NX Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01604 364307





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6.3 Northamptonshire Police For advice on the planning out crime please contact: Crime Prevention Design Advisors Northamptonshire Police Force Headquarters Wootton Hall Northampton NN4 0JQ Email: [email protected] Telephone: 03000 111 222 extension 343989


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APPENDIX A CHECKLIST FOR DEVELOPERS

When designing schemes have you considered the following fire safety guidance and incorporated, where appropriate, into development proposals: 1. Road schemes are designed to meet emergency access requirements as set out within

the Manual for Streets and Building Regulations documents.

2. Development schemes have adequate off-street parking provision to reduce roadside parking and therefore reduce any impact on emergency service access and operational response times.

3. The design of waste and recycling stores has been considered to reduce the

opportunities of arson occurring.

4. The requirement for fire hydrants on the development is discussed and locations of proposed hydrants are agreed in consultation with the NFRS Water Officer.

5. Sprinkler systems are considered for installation within developments that are

considered high risk, or where fire appliance access requirements cannot be fully met.

6. The ‘Planning out Crime in Northamptonshire’ SPG has been taken into consideration when designing schemes and the key principles have been adopted.

northamptonshire fire and rescue service

Documents