Came across something the other day. Looking at purpose built flats above shops built somewhere around the 60's i think. there are several entrances. Each entrance leads to a single staircase leading to 4 flats. no access between staircases. All brick / concrete construction. On each level (first and second) of each staircase there is a very small balcony area with various types of doors but the original doors are full length fully glazed. One resident made a minor complaint to the council and without anyone even visiting the place, a council official has declared the balconies as 'rescue points', and insisted that FD30's are installed between the staircase and the balconies. What is puzzling is that over the years, the council planners have allowed all the shops etc to build various structures, extensions and large restaurant extract ducts to the rear of their shops which would prevent any form of rescue anyway!! So if they were designed as rescue points surely planning wouldn't have allowed such structures?? Has anyone ever come across so called rescue points? I'm inclined to tell client not to fit the doors. There are other issues which are going to be dealt with though.
