NI Assembly Finance Committee takes evidence on updating Building Regulations

10/02/2021

On 3 February 2021 the Finance Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly considered Building Regulations which are in need of updating. Members of the committee heard from the voluntary umbrella group Building Control Northern Ireland (BCNI) in respect of the proposed changes to the building regulations and associated guidance documents

Alan Mayrs, from the Fire Safety Panel of BCNI – and current Head of Building Control at Belfast City Council – provided comments on the five areas in which the consultation proposes change.

In his remarks, Alan Mayrs noted that “Current [fire safety] guidance in Northern Ireland extends restrictions only to the insulation materials and, theoretically, does not prevent the use of highly flammable cladding materials known to have caused rapid fire spread on high-rise buildings across the world.”

The meeting was transcribed by Hansard and a full account of the Minutes of Evidence can be read on the Assembly website.