Fire safety must be embedded at the earliest stages of the planning process, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), as Government advances reforms to support the delivery of 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

In its latest Policy Position Statement, the NFCC supports the drive to increase affordable housing but stresses that safety must remain a priority. Decisions made during planning can shape community risk for generations.

Fire and Rescue Services play a critical role in protecting life and property. However, key infrastructure such as emergency vehicle access, reliable water supplies and accurate risk information is often not fully considered at the planning stage, with issues only becoming apparent during incidents.

The NFCC builds on its response to changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, raising concerns that reforms focus on accelerating development and increasing flexibility for developers without sufficient regard for fire safety.

Although Fire and Rescue Services are statutory consultees under Building Regulations, the separation between planning and Building Control can result in important requirements, such as site layout and access, being overlooked or assumed to have been addressed.

The expansion of Permitted Development Rights allows some developments to proceed without full planning scrutiny. While this may speed up delivery, the NFCC warns it must not result in buildings requiring costly remediation to meet fire safety standards. It calls for stronger safeguards, particularly for commercial to residential conversions.

Safe, sustainable and resilient

NFCC chair Phil Garrigan said: “We fully support the Government’s ambition to deliver more homes, and we recognise the role of planning reform in achieving this, but new homes must also be safe, sustainable and resilient.”

Garrigan continued: “Planning decisions shape communities for decades. If fire safety isn’t considered from the very start, the consequences often appear much later when lives, homes and firefighter safety are placed at risk. It’s far better to design safety in from the outset than to try and retrofit solutions once problems emerge.”

Further, Garrigan commented: “We are urging Government to make fire safety a core part of the planning process with clear requirements that compel planners and developers to prioritise it from Day One.”

The NFCC is also calling for stronger engagement with Fire and Rescue Services throughout the planning process, including reinstating mandatory consultation on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects following recent legislative changes.

Ensuring suitable access for emergency vehicles and adequate firefighting water supplies is essential. The NFCC states that no building should be occupied until sufficient water provision is in place.

Embedding fire safety in planning will help ensure developments are safe, resilient and protect communities in the long term.

The NFCC also recommends formally recognising Fire and Rescue Services as essential infrastructure within developer funding mechanisms such as Section 106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy, enabling contributions towards facilities and resources.

In addition, it proposes that developers, rather than Fire and Rescue Services, should fund fire hydrant installation in new developments.

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