Phoenix Court cycle store in Purchese Street, London, NW1

I was asked by the architect to examine the proposed plans for this unusual 280-bicycle park facility with changing rooms in part of the basement of an existing 2-storey car park in Camden. I met the architect to get a complete understanding of the project and suggested a fire safety strategy which would give alternative escape routes for all plausible fire locations. This strategy, which incorporates some active fire precautions, has been accepted by the building control authority.

Client:  Paul Murphy, ...

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Transport Fire Consultancy

Reduction of the number of pitched roof cavity barriers, social housing, Enfield.

My client was adding lightweight steel-framed pitched roofs above existing flat roofs in blocks of 3-4 storey residential flat/maisonettes as part of an upgrade.  The client considered that it did not need to provide cavity barriers at every party wall location, and had appealed to the local building control authority. ADB Volume 2 recommends that the separating elements of adjoining flats possess a one hour fire resistance according to BS 476, and with most timber-joisted roof construction this would mean ...

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Residential Fire Consultancy

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Apartment in Devonshire Place, Regents Park, London.

My client wished to omit a lobby to the exit from her two-storey flat onto the common stair of the 6-storey building. The building control authority had suggested that in the absence of an intrusive internal lobby a fire shutter should be used to protect against effluent getting onto the common stair should a fire occur in her flat – a lobby is a normal regulatory requirement in multi-storey blocks of flats. I was able to argue that because there ...

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Residential Fire Consultancy

Mews house in Ebery Mews, Belgravia

ebery mewsThis 4-storey house was being redeveloped to include a basement storey and this resulted in a means of escape problem because part of the single staircase would be unprotected adjacent to the front door at ground level. The small footprint of the building meant that, to satisfy building regulation guidance, valuable space would be taken up with partitions ...

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Residential Fire Consultancy