The initial public hearing in a London Assembly investigation into building fire safety took a “positive” stance on the use of timber frame in the capital, according to housing and planning chair Jenny Jones.
The investigation into fire risk in tall and timber frame buildings was prompted by a number of recent incidents in London on timber frame construction sites and a fatal blaze in a concrete-panel high rise last summer.
The hearing involved Assembly members quizzing an expert panel, including UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) chairman Geoff Arnold.
Assembly member Andrew Boff asked whether planning rules should be changed in the city to prevent multi-storey timber frame blocks being built in “densely populated areas” due to fire risk during construction.
But Local Authority Building Control chief executive Paul Everall questioned this approach.
“One of the reasons timber frame has developed in the way it has is the advantage it has in terms of energy efficiency. Do you want to reach the position in parts of London where it’s not possible to build timber frame buiildings, even though you’d like to from an energy-efficiency perspective, because you’ve taken the view that it’s unsafe during construction, or is it better to try and tighten up the provisions, as the [UK] Timber Frame Association are already doing, to reduce the risk of fires taking place?” he said.
Mr Arnold highlighted the roll-out of the UKTFA’s Site Safe fire safety code of practice for timber frame construction sites.
“We’re also looking at compartmentalisation of sites to reduce fire risk and use of sprinklers in the construction phase,” he said.
He told TTJ he was satisfied with the constructive focus of the meeting on raising standards.
“We want to work with the Assembly on this,” he said. “And we are becoming more proscriptive on fire safety, for instance we will be laying down the type of fire stops members use.”
Mr Everall said that more education on fire safety was required in all modern methods of construction (MMC) and London Fire Brigade commissioner Ron Dobson added that fire fighters needed more information on which methods were used in new buildings in their area.
Ms Jones told TTJ she was “a fan of timber frame”, but that there were “natural concerns” about fire safety following recent incidents. However, she agreed the hearing had taken a “positive, optimistic” approach, with the emphasis on improving building standards and control rather than curbing timber frame or high rise in London.
She said that the investigation’s final report is unlikely to be published before the general election.
• Last week Aviva and Axa refuted a report in Building magazine that insurers were considering pulling cover on timber frame buildings due to perceived fire risk (click here).
