©Waugh Thistleton

England — Architects have expressed concern that the government’s latest consultation on fire safety guidance may effectively make it impossible to build timber-based buildings above 11m. The consultation on changes to Approved Document B (ADB) was opened by the Health and Safety Executive on 25 March, and sets out new guidance for the construction of buildings taller than 11m that seemingly prohibits timber from being used as either a load-bearing material or as external cladding. ADB is the primary statutory guidance document in England for meeting the legal requirements of the Building Regulations 2010 on fire safety. The proposal has left industry experts speculating about how strictly the guidance will be implemented and interpreted by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), and its effect on …using sustainable materials such as timber. …Andrew Waugh, whose practice Waugh Thistleton Architects has championed timber construction, told the AJ: ‘This proposed revision to Part B is, frankly, deeply frustrating and flawed.