Building Regulations and Town Planning Essay

Introduction

Planning legislations determine the legal permissions for proposed developments in various areas. Essentially, the planning responsibility is usually in the hands of the district's department responsible for planning. This paper seeks to look into some of the legislations that underpin town planning. Further the paper will focus on the application of the NPPF framework on an ongoing project. On building regulations, the paper will focus on the technical standards of the building regulations on the design process. Lastly the paper will focus on the Grenfell fire tragedy against the propositions of approved documents B and 7, and the manner they would have been used to handle the tragedy.

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Town Planning Legislations

Historically, town planning started during the industrial revolution in the United Kingdom. Following the industrial revolution, there was some rapid growth in the urban population that led to a decline in the health conditions. As such, the authorities resulted to taking control actions such as provision of clean water and improved methods of sewage disposal8. In order to protect the actions that were underway, the parliament passed some acts into law as a measure of controlling the services. Some of the early legislations in the United Kingdom include the Town Planning Act 1909, the Housing Act 1919 and the Housing Act 19306. The town planning act allowed the local authorities to manage town planning and also prohibited building of back to back houses, an issue that was touted as concomitant to poverty. The 1919 act enabled the ministry of health the requisite permissions to approve house designs. The 1930 act called for slum areas to be cleared to create areas for improvement7.

Case

Introduction

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is the body responsible for policies that regard government planning in the United Kingdom. The framework was set out to present a consolidated framework that covers all modes of development as well as setting out priorities in the economy, environment and social realms of the nation. In essence, the NPPF framework was developed as a simple and accessible planning policy. The framework was actually touted as having replaced the previous policies on the same in terms of pages 2. However, the existing frameworks did not change and still remain effective and usable.

Planning laws, regulations and development controls set out the manner in which land is used as well as the building characteristics; essentially, these laws affect the physical environment. At times, directly or indirectly, planning laws contribute to differences in social composition of city blocks, neighborhoods, cities and regions. In the same regard, the NPPF provides the framework within which local plans for housing and development are prepared within the country. Against this light, this piece will exemplify the application of NPPF on a development project. Precisely, Ballam Park South Sports Pavilion in Frankston, Australia will be the project of choice since it is an ongoing project that can suffice as any other development project in the United Kingdom4

"Ballam Park South Sports Pavilion" (Appendix 1) is a soccer pavilion that will be undergoing redevelopment as from the end of this year and the beginning of the coming year. The redevelopment project, which will take a total of fourteen months, will include the demolition of the current pavilion and rebuilding of a new pavilion at the same place. The current pavilion, which houses a football club with over four hundred members, requires modernization owing to the exponential growth in its memberships. The modern structure is required to meet the required standards in terms of accessibility4.

In light of the NPPF framework as presented by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, one of the purposes of the planning frameworks is to meet sustainable development needs5. In this regard, the policy states that sustainable development aims at meeting the requirements of the present generation without compromising the needs of the future generations or the ability of such generations to meet those needs. Looking at the football pavilion that is under development or proposed development, one of the noted issues that called for its demolition and the need for reconstruction was the growing population of members. Hosting a football club that has over four hundred male and female members, it was deemed essential that some design aspects were changed to accommodate all persons on board5.

Essentially, the new design was to take heed of the age factor; the club houses people from five years of age and above. As such accessibility issues had to take into consideration that there were young people involved. Further, in consideration of the fact that there were females in the team, there needed to be female-friendly changing rooms. Further it was proposed that there needed to be added a kitchen or a kiosk, a changing room for the referees, a storage room, public toilets that would be available for all users of the park and provision of first aid facilities. Ostensibly, it is evident that the demolition of the current facility suffices since the new facility seeks to take care of the needs of the current users as a whole. The facility would sustainably accommodate all people, now and in future4.

In place of the three overarching objectives of sustainable development under NPPF, the land accommodating the park and the pavilion was used in an economically justifiable manner, whereby it supported growth and innovation amongst the locals. Socially, the community was put into consideration since a park is used for community purposes. Environmentally, the land was maximally utilized since the unwanted building will be demolished and the new one erected on the same premise, therefore, saving the land for other purposes.

NPPF supposes that during the plan-making phase, a vision for the future needs to be consolidated. The plans need to be purpose-driven and in accordance to policies that address the priorities of the local authorities. The plans should also have sufficient provisions for the strategic policies; in the case of the pavilion, there was sufficient provision for the laid-out strategy as it sought to improve a community facility.

Effect of technical standards of the building regulations on the design process

Wainwright posits that in consideration of the many standards that require to be adhered to before construction of new structures, almost all aspects of the building are always quantified and calibrated prior to the design9. In essence, the author postulates that the technical standards such as the "Code for Sustainable Homes", British Standards, "Planning Policy Guidance Notes" and many more have a direct impact on the design process of any building. A good example of the effect of this standard is depicted in the manner that windows should be constructed; according to the British Standards, all windows must be placed in such a manner that an elderly woman aged between sixty-four and seventy five years must be able to clean the windows in her house from within and without the use of ladders or stretching herself.

In consideration of the posed examples, therefore, it is evident that the standards are quite stringent to the architects making them not have the freedom to experiment. This supposition is underpinned by Faulconbridge and Connaughton who posit that market standards provide normative as well as cultural regulations in the design of office buildings; the same standards are applied in calculating the values of such buildings in the property market3. Further, the authors state that the standards lead to some of the designs being considered legitimate as others are pushed to the sidelines. In essence, therefore, it is clear that the standards directly affect buildings and building codes.

Grenfell Tower Fire Disaster

The Grenfell tower fire disaster took place on 14th June 2017 when a huge fire engulfed the Grenfell block of flats, located in North Kensington, West London. Seventy two people succumbed to the fire. The block of flats consisted of 129 flats that housed about 600 people. Notably, the building only had a single staircase that is centrally located1. There were various safety concerns that were raised, following the fire and that are in line with the approved document B and document 7.

The approved document B is amongst a set of national standards that need to be achieved when constructing a building. Essentially, the approved documents provide the requisite guidance that is relevant for the satisfaction of the building regulations in common situations. The approved document B comes in two parts; regulations for dwelling houses and other buildings that are not dwelling houses.

The approved document B provides regulations on the means of warning in case of a fire outbreak as well as a means of escape. In this section, systems such as fire detection systems as well as alarm systems are put into consideration. Means of escaping from flats are also indicated as a necessary requirement. Provisions for other buildings that are not flats are also given taking into consideration means of both vertical and horizontal escape. Further, recommendations on the probable causes of fire spreads from within the building are given. This consists of such areas as building linings on the walls, the ceiling and usage of thermoplastics. In the third section (B3) internal probable causes of fire-spread through the structural part of a building are covered. In this section, covered provisions include the elements of the building structure that bear the loads, cavities or the spaces that are concealed, compartmentation and the manner in which to protect openings and stopping of fire.

Other sections covered in the approved document B include provisions governing external spread of fire such as the manner in which external walls are to be constructed, provisions on separation of spaces and the materials to be used in roofing. Section B5, which is the last section in the document provides regulations on access to the building facilities for rescuers; this includes the fire service as well as other rescue services available in cases of fire outbreaks.

Approved document 7 is part of the building standards and regulations that also sets out certain standards in construction of buildings. In essence, the document stipulates that in accordance to regulation 7 of the building regulations, "Any building work must be conducted using the right materials and in a manner that is workmanlike" (Approved Document 7). In defining the right materials to be used for the construction purposes, the code stipulates that such material should be the correct or the appropriate ones for the particular circumstances they will be utilized. Further, the material should be mixed or prepared as required and lastly, such material should be used in a manner that will enable them to perform the functions that they are being utilized for and for which they have been designed. Notably, the approved document 7 proposes different ways in which to establish material fitness and also the various ways of establishing the adequacy of the available workmanship.

In the case of Grenfell Tower disaster (appendix 2), a few issues need to be noted that are in line or against the provisions of both approved documents B and document 7. Firstly, the fire started from a Hotpoint freezer on the fourth floor of the building. It was noted that the cause of the fire was non-deliberate and probably due to a common electric fault. The rapid manner in which the fire spread, however, was largely attributed to the flammable cladding installed in the building. Further the insulation and the cladding outside the building were noted to be very...