Local people urged to back the call for sprinklers in new-build developments

Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP) is urging people throughout Chesterfield and North Derbyshire to back the London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) call for a change in the law, which would see sprinklers fitted in more new-build residential developments.

The call follows the Grenfell Tower disaster in June 2017, where a fire at the London tower block led to the death of 72 people.

LFB wants all purpose-built residential blocks to have sprinklers installed, irrespective of height. Currently, in England, sprinklers are only a legal requirement in new residential blocks taller than 30 metres.

Worryingly, England is behind Wales where sprinkler legislation is concerned. In Wales, sprinklers have been required in all new houses and flats since 1 January 2017 under Wales, Part B (Fire Safety) – New Building Regulation 37A (1) (c).

The Government is currently consulting on building regulations that include a crucial section on sprinklers.

DBCP, which is the recommended provider of building control services in Derbyshire, is now joining LFB by emailing MPs across Derbyshire to urge them to change the law on sprinklers to make people and buildings in England safer.

David Pratt, Building Control Manager at DBCP commented: “I fully support this move and would urge any developer to install sprinklers as a matter of course rather than waiting for a change in law. They are not as ugly as they used to be and can be made to look very discrete these days.

“Sprinklers should be installed in all flats and apartments no matter what the cost – you can’t put a price on people being safe in their own home.”

To support the call for all new build development to include sprinkler systems, simply email your MP and tell them you want sprinklers to be mandatory in:

• all buildings housing vulnerable residents like care homes
• all purpose-built blocks of flats over six storeys
• all homes where vulnerable people live.

You can find the email address of your local MP at www.writetothem.com