Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) new homes constructed as part of an upward extension on an existing block which takes it over 11m in height and (b) pre-existing homes in that block will be required to have a sprinkler system fitted from 1 August 2020.

For the purposes of Approved Document B, 'separated part' is defined in Appendix D, Diagram D5 of that document. This provides that a separated part should be separated from another part of the same building by a compartment wall, to the full height of the part, in one vertical plane. This is unlikely to apply to a rooftop extension.

It is the responsibility of those undertaking the building work to demonstrate the regulations are met, and each building project should be considered individually. We have published advice on this subject in a circular letter which can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/887227/Approved_Document_B_May_2020_amendment_-_Circular_letter_2020.pdf .