A London Plan fire statement costs from £125 at Fixed Fee Plans. It is the short fire safety document London councils ask for with a planning application under Policy D12 of the London Plan. For a householder or minor scheme we write it against the six points in D12(A), or as the shorter reasonable exception statement where your council accepts one.
Many owners only learn about it when the application is returned as incomplete. The fix is quick, but it costs weeks, so we check your council's list before you apply.
Do I need a fire statement for a house extension in London?
Usually something, yes. Policy D12(A) of the London Plan asks all development proposals to achieve the highest standards of fire safety, and London councils turn that into a validation requirement. What changes is the length. Greenwich accepts a reasonable exception statement for householder proposals, written as a covering letter saying the existing fire safety measures are appropriate or how they will be altered. Wandsworth asks every development for a fire safety strategy and accepts an exemption statement for smaller schemes.
The full independent Fire Statement by a third-party assessor in D12(B) is for major developments only. It is not this product; for a major scheme we tell you so and you appoint a fire engineer.
What does a D12(A) statement cover?
Six things, each answered for your scheme: outside space for fire appliances and an assembly point; features that reduce the risk to life, such as alarms and fire-resisting construction; how the building limits fire spread; suitable means of escape and an evacuation strategy; how that strategy can be kept up to date; and access and equipment for firefighting. For a loft or an extension most answers are short, but each has to be there.
How is it different from a fire strategy plan?
The fire statement is for planning. The fire strategy plan is drawn for building control under Part B of the Building Regulations: protected escape routes, fire doors, detection and, for an HMO or flat conversion, separation between homes. A loft conversion or a conversion to flats usually needs both, at different stages, and we write them so they agree.
What happens after the statement?
It goes in with your planning application, and the officer reads it with the drawings. Our fee is from £125 for a householder or minor scheme. A scheme with several flats, or one where the council wants more than D12(A), is quoted in writing before we start.
Frequently asked questions
What is a reasonable exception statement?
A short statement, often a covering letter, saying the existing fire safety measures are appropriate and will not be affected, or how they will be altered. Greenwich, for example, accepts one for householder proposals.
Does a fire statement need a fire engineer?
Not for a householder or minor scheme under D12(A). Policy D12(B) asks for a third-party, suitably qualified assessor on major developments only.
Do I still need building regulations approval for fire safety?
Yes. Building control checks the finished design against Part B of the Building Regulations. The fire statement answers the planning question only.
