Building control bodies require a fire engineer's report for many projects. Here's what it covers, who produces it and how it differs from other fire safety documents.
6 August 20244 min readFire Safety Services
What Is a Fire Engineer's Report for Building Control?
A fire engineer's report for building control — commonly referred to as a fire strategy report or fire safety engineering report — is the primary document through which a fire engineer demonstrates to the building control body that the proposed building meets the functional requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations. For higher-risk buildings, it is submitted to the Building Safety Regulator as part of the Gateway 2 application. For other buildings, it is submitted to the local authority building control body or registered building control approver.
The fire engineer's report is distinct from other fire safety documents — it is not a fire risk assessment (which addresses the occupied building under the RRO 2005) and it is not a fire safety statement (which is a planning document). It is the detailed technical document that demonstrates, through engineering analysis and reference to applicable codes, how the building's fire safety design achieves an acceptable level of life safety.
What a Fire Engineer's Report Must Cover
A comprehensive fire engineer's report for building control must address all the fire safety elements specified in Part B of the Building Regulations. The exact scope depends on the building type and complexity, but a typical report covers:
Building description — the proposed building's use, height, number of storeys, floor areas by use, and occupancy characteristics
Regulatory framework — the standards against which compliance is being demonstrated (Approved Document B, BS 9991, BS 9999) and the basis for their selection
Evacuation strategy — the chosen evacuation approach (stay put, simultaneous, or phased) and the assumptions and provisions that support it
Means of escape — the escape route configuration, travel distances, staircase widths and numbers, final exits, and any performance-based justification for departures from prescriptive limits
Fire compartmentation — compartment boundaries, required fire resistance periods, and references to the fire door schedule and fire stopping specification
Structural fire protection — fire resistance periods for structural elements and the basis for the specification
Fire detection and alarm — the system type (L1, L2, M categories), coverage, and any interfaces with other building systems
Sprinkler and suppression systems — whether required, the applicable design standard, and the design basis
Smoke control — the strategy for protecting escape routes from smoke, whether natural or mechanical
Firefighting facilities — rising mains, firefighting lifts, firefighting shafts, fire service vehicle access
External wall fire safety — for buildings over 18 metres, compliance with regulation 7(2)
A fire engineer's report that is incomplete — missing sections on any of the above — will be queried by building control and the gap will need to be filled before approval can be granted. Completeness is the single most important quality of a fire engineer's building control report.
The Difference Between a Prescriptive and Performance-Based Report
A prescriptive fire engineer's report demonstrates compliance with Part B by showing that the building meets the tabulated requirements of the applicable code — travel distance limits, fire resistance periods, staircase widths. A performance-based report demonstrates compliance through engineering analysis, showing that the building achieves an equivalent or better level of fire safety even where it does not follow the prescriptive rules.
Performance-based reports require more detailed engineering analysis — typically including CFD fire modelling, evacuation modelling, or structural fire engineering — and are subject to more rigorous scrutiny by building control. For Gateway 2 submissions involving performance-based approaches, independent peer review by a second chartered fire engineer is increasingly expected by the BSR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a fire engineer's report the same as a fire strategy?
Yes — the terms fire engineer's report, fire strategy report, and fire safety engineering report are used interchangeably to describe the same document. It is the technical document submitted for building control approval demonstrating compliance with Part B of the Building Regulations.
Does every building need a fire engineer's report for building control?
Not every building requires a specialist fire engineer's report. Simple buildings can demonstrate compliance with Part B using standard building control drawings and specifications. For complex buildings — particularly those over two storeys, with atria, or involving higher-risk occupancies — a fire engineer's report is essential.
How is the fire engineer's report different from the fire risk assessment?
The fire engineer's report is a design document produced during construction to demonstrate compliance with building regulations. The fire risk assessment is produced for an occupied building under the RRO 2005 and addresses ongoing management of fire risk. The fire engineer's report precedes occupation; the fire risk assessment follows it.
Who reviews the fire engineer's report at building control?
Building control bodies have their own fire safety officers who review fire strategy submissions. For Gateway 2 applications, the BSR has a team of specialist fire safety assessors. Both will assess the report against the functional requirements of Part B and may seek clarification or additional information.
Can the fire engineer's report be updated after building control submission?
Yes — building control may raise queries that require the report to be revised and resubmitted. Changes to the design during construction must also be reflected in updates to the fire engineer's report. The final as-built report, updated at Gateway 3 or practical completion, reflects the building as constructed.
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