Councillors seek reassurance on how new double staircase policy for tall buildings will impact affordability of new schemes, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Grenfell Tower had only a single staircase when it was destroyed by fire, hampering people's escape (credit Wikimedia/Natalie Oxford) — Grenfell Tower had only a single staircase when it was destroyed by fire (credit Wikimedia/Natalie Oxford)

Plans to force developers to include two staircases in tower blocks over 30 metres high could affect affordable housing provision, Haringey Council planning chiefs have said.

Council officers admitted the newly-proposed fire safety regulation could reduce the number of affordable homes developers are able to provide but said they would still look to ensure schemes provide the maximum possible amount.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is currently consulting on proposals for mandatory additional staircases as part of measures to improve building safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy six years ago. Some industry experts have long called for at least two staircases in new residential blocks to provide an alternative escape route if a fire breaks out, highlighting that Grenfell had only a single staircase.

On 8th February, the Greater London Authority announced that all planning applications that involve residential buildings over 30m in height will need to be designed to provide two staircases.

The proposals were discussed during a meeting of the council’s strategic planning committee on Monday, at which Labour councillor Matt White questioned whether the new regulation’s impact on the viability of housing schemes was likely to affect the amount of affordable housing that could be delivered across the borough.

Rob Krzyszowski, the council’s assistant director of planning, building standards and sustainability, told councillors he suspected providing space for extra staircases would have an impact on the ability to provide affordable housing.

He said: “There is likely to be an impact on viability and, potentially, affordable housing. However, we won’t just accept that. As ever, we would always scrutinise viablility appraisals to make sure that it has been designed in the best way possible to maximise the amount of affordable housing.”

Rob added that if there was an impact for a “transitional period” while the industry adjusted to the new regulations, the level of affordable housing could potentially be increased at a later period in the design process.

The council, which has a target to ensure at least 40% of new housing across the borough is affordable, has more than 11,000 households on its housing waiting list and over 2,500 in temporary accommodation.

Under questioning from committee member Alexandra Worrell, head of building control Bob McIver said extra staircases would not need to be added to existing buildings above 30m in height. However, he said existing buildings deemed to be at higher risk would probably have fire risk assessments carried out once a year or every two years instead of every five years.

Officers told councillors that the government had insisted there was no evidence that existing buildings with a single staircase above the 30m threshold pose a “life safety risk”.

Committee members also received an update on the borough’s draft Local Plan, which is due to undergo a round of public consultation during the spring. The document will allocate land for development across the borough to meet housing targets, as well as setting out local planning policies.

A report presented to the committee reveals that the council is finalising the evidence base to support the draft Local Plan, including an update to a cost-of-carbon study and a separate study that will set out appropriate sites for tall buildings.

Following the consultation, the plan will be submitted to the government’s Planning Inspectorate for examination, with a likely adoption date set for next year.

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