On 1 June 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC ) introduced a package of improvements to further strengthen and clarify building regulations and fire safety guidance as part of wider reforms to building safety.
All new residential buildings over 11 metres high will now have to include a Secure Information Box that will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building in the event of a fire.
New residential developments over 18 metres high will also have to incorporate an Evacuation Alert System to help fire and rescue services inform residents of a change in evacuation strategy, during an incident. This will give fire and rescue services an additional tool to use on the ground, alongside existing methods of evacuation.
It forms part of a wider update to tighten building regulations and provide clearer fire safety rules for the design or construction of residential developments.
In addition, the government also introduced tougher standards for external wall materials on new medium-rise blocks of flats.
The government previously announced a ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of new blocks of flats over 18 metres high, in England – as well as hospitals, student accommodation and dormitories in boarding schools.