A fire safety statement is required for planning applications for certain buildings. This guide explains what it covers, when it's needed and who produces it.
1 April 20254 min readFire Safety Services
Defining the Fire Safety Statement
A fire safety statement is a document submitted as part of a planning application to demonstrate that fire safety considerations have been incorporated in the design of a proposed development and that the development can be built in a way consistent with fire safety requirements. It is a planning document, not a building control document — it does not replace the detailed fire strategy that will be produced for building control submission, but it establishes the fire safety framework at concept design stage.
Fire safety statements are required in two distinct circumstances in England: for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022's Gateway 1 process, and for major applications in Greater London under London Plan Policy D12a. Although the two requirements have different triggers and are assessed by different bodies, they are closely related in content and can often be addressed in a single document.
What a Fire Safety Statement Must Address
The content requirements for a fire safety statement vary slightly depending on whether it is being submitted under Gateway 1 or London Plan D12a, but a comprehensive fire safety statement will typically address:
Development description — the proposed building's height, number of storeys, residential unit count, and proposed uses
Higher-risk building classification — confirmation of whether the development results in a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022
Fire service vehicle access — the proposed fire service vehicle access routes, turning areas, and hardstanding, demonstrating that appropriate fire service access can be achieved
Means of escape — a high-level description of the proposed escape strategy, confirming that compliant means of escape can be achieved within the proposed design concept
External wall fire safety — an indication of the proposed external wall approach and confirmation that the materials will comply with regulation 7(2) for buildings over 18 metres
Staircase provision — for taller buildings, an indication of whether single or dual staircase provision is proposed and the reasoning behind this
Sprinkler provision — confirmation of whether sprinklers are proposed and the design standard applicable
Fire safety design approach — confirmation that the development will be designed in accordance with the applicable fire safety standards (Approved Document B, BS 9991, BS 9999)
A fire safety statement is not a substitute for a fire strategy. It is a planning document that demonstrates fire safety has been considered at concept stage. The detailed fire strategy — produced at RIBA Stage 4 — is submitted for building control approval and is a substantially more detailed engineering document.
Who Produces a Fire Safety Statement?
A fire safety statement must be produced by a suitably qualified fire engineer. For Gateway 1 applications and London Plan D12a applications, the fire engineer should have relevant experience of tall and complex residential buildings and should ideally hold Chartered Engineer status. Planning authorities and the GLA are increasingly scrutinising fire safety statements and will question applications where the fire safety information is superficial or where the credentials of the author are unclear.
The Relationship Between the Fire Safety Statement and the Fire Strategy
The fire safety statement establishes the fire safety concept at planning stage. The building control fire strategy — produced at RIBA Stage 4 — develops that concept into a detailed engineering document. The two should be consistent. Where the building control fire strategy departs materially from the approach described in the planning fire statement — for example, a change in staircase configuration or evacuation strategy — a planning amendment may be required before building control approval can be granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a fire safety statement the same as a fire strategy report?
No. A fire safety statement is a planning document demonstrating that fire safety has been considered at concept stage. A fire strategy report is a detailed engineering document submitted for building control approval. They serve different purposes and are produced at different stages of the design process.
When in the design process is the fire safety statement produced?
The fire safety statement is produced at RIBA Stage 3 (spatial coordination) for submission with the planning application. It describes the fire safety approach at concept level — the principles of escape, compartmentation, and access — rather than the detailed technical specifications.
Does a fire safety statement need to be prepared by a chartered fire engineer?
Yes, for Gateway 1 and London Plan D12a applications. The statement must be produced by a suitably qualified fire engineer, and for the tallest and most complex buildings, Chartered Engineer status is expected.
What happens if the fire safety statement is rejected at planning?
If the HSE (for Gateway 1) or the GLA (for D12a) considers the fire safety statement inadequate, they will advise the planning authority to refuse the application or impose conditions requiring a revised fire safety statement. A revised statement must address the identified deficiencies before planning permission can be granted.
Can a developer produce their own fire safety statement?
A fire safety statement must be produced by a suitably qualified fire engineer — not by the developer, architect, or planning consultant alone. The developer may brief the fire engineer on the design intent, but the technical content of the statement must be the fire engineer's professional judgement.
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