Buildings: Insulation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of buildings under 18m in height but classified as higher-risk solely due to the treatment of non-residential basement or semi-basement garages as storeys on leaseholders.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
If the building is below 18m in height (measured from ground level) and has fewer than 7 storeys, it should not be classed as higher-risk under the current regulatory framework. Importantly, storeys located below ground level - including non-residential basements or semi-basement garages - should not be counted when determining whether a building meets the higher-risk threshold. Therefore, such buildings should not be classed as higher-risk.
A comprehensive review of the higher-risk regime is scheduled for 2027, and the Building Safety Regulator is expected to publish its initial review and ongoing review by the end of summer 2025. These may address how impacts are assessed and inform future policy adjustments.
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