A History of Building Regulations Part B in the UK

From the Great Fire of London to the Building Safety Act 2022, we trace the evolution of UK fire safety regulation.. Regulatory Evolution Pre 1666 Minimal fire safety regulation. Timber construction dominant. 1667 — London Building Act First significant fire safety legislation following the Great Fire of London. Required brick/stone construction. 1774 — Building Act Classified buildings by fire risk. Required party walls. 1965 — Building Regulations First national building regulations replacing local bylaws. 1985 — Building Regulations (Part B) Introduced functional requirements approach. 2000 — Approved Document B Major revision consolidating fire safety guidance. 2005 — RRO 2005 Replaced 100+ pieces of fire safety law with single Order. 2017 — Grenfell Tower The catalyst for the most significant regulatory reform in a generation. 2021 2022 — Reform Fire Safety Act 2021, Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Regulations 2022. For fire safety regulatory guidance, contact us.