Building regulations: access statements, security, changing places toilets and regulation 7

This consultation paper sets out the detailed proposals on parts A, B, C, K, M and N, access statements, security, changing places toilet and regulation 7, and is section 1 of 4, relating to the 2012 building regulations consultation exercise.

Section 1 provides an overview of the consultation package as a whole as well as proposals on a number of areas including:

• replacing the currently referenced standards in part A (structure) with the new British Standards based on Eurocodes
• aligning the existing guidance in Approved Document C (site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture) with the most up-to-date radon maps to ensure the safety provisions are targeted appropriately
• clarifying the guidance on access statements in Approved Document M (access to and use of buildings)
• rationalising the guidance supporting parts M, K and N (access, protection from falling, collision and impact and glazing respectively) to remove unnecessary costs on business
• making minor changes to the technical guidance in Approved Document B (fire safety) to resolve practical problems in the application of requirement B2 (internal fire spread (linings))
• setting out the intention to take forward the repeal of the fire protection provisions in the Local Acts
• setting out the non-regulatory approach proposed in relation to domestic security and changing places toilets

Published alongside this section of the consultation is a draft version of a new Approved Document K (protection from falling, collision and impact). Not only does this reflect the proposed changes resulting from the rationalisation of parts K, M and N, it also seeks consultees’ views on the proposed new style of Approved Documents.

This new style has also been applied to a draft revised Approved Document regulation 7 which can be found in the main consultation document as annex I.

The other consultation sections cover the following:

• section 2: part L (conservation of fuel and power)
• section 3: part P (electrical safety - dwellings)
• section 4: the building control system