Approved Document B Consultation 2026: What You Need to Know

The latest consultation on changes to Approved Document B represents far more than another routine regulatory update. As one of the core statutory guidance documents supporting the Building Regulations, Approved Document B sits at the heart of how architects approach fire safety in design.

The current consultation signals a continued shift toward clearer, more technically specific guidance and forms part of the government's response to recommendations made in the Phase 2 Report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Among the report's conclusions was the recommendation that Approved Document B should be placed under continuous review, recognising that the existing guidance was often unclear and, in some cases, failed to provide the information necessary to design buildings that are genuinely safe in the event of fire.

For architects, understanding the implications of this consultation is essential, not only because of its potential impact on future projects, but because it reflects the wider evolution of professional responsibilities around building safety.

What Is This Consultation About?

Before examining the proposed changes, it is important to understand what this consultation is and what it is not.

This is a consultation on proposed amendments to Approved Document B. It is not a final update to the guidance, nor are the proposed changes currently in force. The consultation has been launched jointly by the Building Safety Regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The consultation applies to England only and runs from 25 March 2026 until 1 July 2026.

At this stage, the key objective is to understand the direction of travel and consider how the profession may wish to engage with the proposed changes.

Why Should Architects Pay Attention?

Fire safety guidance is never static. It evolves through technical clarification, regulatory reform, lessons learned from incidents, and changes in construction methods and building technologies.

For architects, the significance of this consultation extends well beyond fire engineering. Approved Document B influences decisions made throughout the design process, from initial concept design and planning strategy to technical detailing, material specification, and project coordination.

Changes to fire safety guidance can affect:

• Building layouts and escape strategies

• Material selection and façade design

• Coordination with structural and MEP engineers

• Compliance documentation and evidence requirements

• Discussions with clients, contractors, and regulators

In practical terms, revisions to Approved Document B often change not only what designers do, but how they justify and communicate their decisions.

The Eight Key Areas of Proposed Change

The consultation focuses on eight principal areas:

1. Technical clarifications and updates to existing guidance.

2. Consolidation of guidance for work to existing buildings.

3. Introduction of a threshold limiting the application of Approved Document B where combustible structural elements are used.

4. Revisions to guidance on external wall systems, balconies, and combustible materials.

5. Recommendations for evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18 metres.

6. Updated terminology and alarm requirements for specialised housing.

7. New guidance on roofs and photovoltaic (PV) installations.

8. Increased fire resistance requirements for open-sided car parks.

Taken together, these proposals suggest a clear objective: making Approved Document B more explicit, more consistent, and better aligned with contemporary construction methods and building types.

For practitioners, this likely means fewer assumptions, clearer thresholds, and greater emphasis on evidencing compliance through informed design decisions.

1. Existing Buildings: A More Consolidated Approach

One of the most significant proposals is the consolidation of guidance relating to existing buildings.

This is particularly relevant because much of contemporary architectural practice involves refurbishment, retrofit, extensions, change of use projects, and interventions within existing building stock rather than entirely new construction.

Designing within existing buildings often presents unique challenges. Architects must balance fire safety requirements alongside heritage considerations, existing structural constraints, sustainability objectives, commercial pressures, and buildability concerns. A more consolidated framework could help reduce uncertainty and improve consistency in how fire safety guidance is interpreted across these project types.

While professional judgement will always remain essential, clearer guidance could make design decisions easier to defend and explain throughout the project lifecycle.

2. Combustible Structures and External Walls

Two of the most consequential proposals concern combustible materials and external wall systems.

The consultation proposes introducing a threshold beyond which Approved Document B guidance would no longer apply where combustible structural elements are used.

This is a significant development because it establishes a clearer boundary between standard compliance routes and situations requiring alternative fire engineering approaches.

Alongside this, the consultation proposes updates to guidance relating to:

• External wall systems

• Balconies

• Combustible materials within external walls

• The scope of existing combustible material bans

For architects, this is arguably one of the most impactful areas under review.

External wall design sits at the intersection of architecture, fire safety, sustainability, aesthetics, and performance. Any revision in this area is likely to influence façade specifications, material selection, detailing, and the level of design coordination required at early project stages.

At present, these remain proposals rather than confirmed requirements. The appropriate response is therefore not speculation but preparation, reviewing current design assumptions and monitoring how the final guidance develops.

3. Evacuation Lifts and Specialised Housing

The consultation also proposes recommending evacuation lifts within residential buildings over 18 metres in height while clarifying guidance for non-residential buildings.

This reflects the increasing emphasis on inclusive evacuation strategies and the need to provide safe means of evacuation for occupants with mobility impairments.

The conversation around fire safety is no longer limited to conventional escape routes.

Increasingly, it encompasses questions of accessibility, dignity, resilience, and the practical realities of evacuating diverse building populations.

Alongside this proposal is a change in terminology from "sheltered housing" to "specialised housing."

Although seemingly minor, terminology within regulation matters. It influences interpretation, scope, and design expectations.

The consultation further proposes that these building types should achieve a minimum Category LD1 alarm system, representing the highest level of life protection through comprehensive detector coverage throughout the dwelling.

Together, these proposals reinforce the idea that effective fire safety design must consider:

• Occupant characteristics

• Building height

• Detection and alarm systems

• Evacuation strategy

• Ongoing building management

4. Roof Design and Photovoltaic Panels

As sustainability targets continue to drive design decisions, photovoltaic panels have become a common feature of many projects.

The consultation proposes introducing updated guidance on roofs, including new provisions specifically addressing PV installations.

This reflects growing recognition that renewable energy systems bring fire safety considerations that must be integrated into the design process from the outset.

For architects, this highlights the need for early coordination between design teams, fire engineers, and MEP consultants.

Rather than treating photovoltaic systems as a late-stage sustainability addition, the emerging direction of travel suggests they must be considered as an integral part of the overall fire safety strategy.

Clearer guidance in this area could help reduce uncertainty in specification, detailing, and compliance assessment.

5. Open-Sided Car Parks and Fire Resistance

The final major proposal concerns increasing fire resistance requirements for open-sided car parks.

This proposal reflects wider concerns around modern construction methods, combustible structural systems, and changing vehicle technologies.

The consultation recognises that some structural approaches, particularly those involving combustible materials, may behave differently under fire conditions and therefore require alternative methods of demonstrating compliance.

As construction technologies continue to evolve, regulators appear increasingly focused on ensuring guidance keeps pace with real-world building performance.

What Should Architects Do Next?

With the consultation remaining open until 1 July 2026, architects have an opportunity to engage directly with the development of future fire safety guidance.

Particular attention should be paid to:

• Proposed changes to external wall systems and combustible material restrictions.

• The recommendation for evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18 metres.

• New requirements relating to specialised housing and LD1 alarm coverage.

• Updated guidance for photovoltaic installations.

• Consolidated approaches to fire safety within existing buildings.

More broadly, the consultation reinforces a key message emerging from the Grenfell Inquiry and wider building safety reforms: Approved Document B is now subject to continuous review.

Keeping up to date with evolving guidance is no longer simply good practice, it is an essential part of professional responsibility.

The consultation process allows responses to be submitted through an online survey, while written submissions are also accepted where clearly linked to the consultation questions.

For a profession that frequently seeks greater influence over regulation, this represents a meaningful opportunity to help shape future guidance.

Final Thoughts

Approved Document B remains one of the most influential documents affecting architectural practice in England. Its guidance directly shapes decisions relating to form, materials, detailing, coordination, and life safety.

The current consultation, driven by recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report, proposes significant changes across eight key areas, from external wall systems and combustible materials to evacuation lifts, specialised housing, photovoltaic installations, and existing buildings.

While none of these proposals are yet final, they offer a clear indication of where building safety regulation is heading.

For architects the message is straightforward: stay informed, engage with the consultation process, and understand how evolving fire safety guidance will continue to shape design decisions from the earliest sketch through to project completion.