FRS consultation

[lyledunn]

Is it normal procedure that LA building control consult with FRS on applications relating to licensed premises? Every Building control application I have submitted to one particular LA is automatically sent on to NIFRS for their views, no matter how small the project. If not standard practice the implication is that the BC officer is not competent to assess simple projects.Does FRS get paid for this?

[LeeM]

Yes they would need to consult on any commercial premises, though if you have submitted to building control its presumably because building regs is involved and the licensing issue is just an add on. FRS are tax payer funded.

[kurnal]

Licensing works differently in NI than E&W though, hopefully Nearlythere  will see this and enlighten us.

[Fishy]

Slightly confused... you mention licensing but you seem to be talking mainly about local authority building control?  If the building control system in NI works the same as in E&W then the building control body has a statutory duty to consult with the fire authority on applications - whether for licenced premises or not.  Sensible because a) the fire authority enforce the FSO and b) they might have a view on access & facilties for fire-fighters.

[kurnal]

I might be wrong and my memory may be playing tricks Fishy but l seem to have a memory of discussions that the in NI the licensing authority have some responsibility for the audit of fire risk assessments insofar as they affect licensed premises so I was thinking that should this be the case there may be some provision for additional statutory consultations?

I don't know and apologies if I have got this round my neck.

[lyledunn]

Kurnal,in NI where premises have an entertainment licence, it is the responsibility of the local authority to audit the FRA. This is usually done by the entertainment licence officer. They are normally well-informed and usually well educated. I do believe a certain CT may have had a hand in some of that!
My original query was really t about building control applications for very small jobs being forwarded to NIFRS. Consultation is always good but I would have thought that a BC officer might have been able to determine whether consultation was necessary. Serious delays in getting plan approval notices are common and often as a result of the need or perhaps, desire to consult.
In one wee job NIFRS have been sent my plans for the removal of an internal wall in a bar that would hold no more than about 60 people. I wanted to know if the consultation exercise was statutory.

[kurnal]

In E&W we have a document called Building Regulations Procedural Guidance that can be downloaded from the Planning Portal website. This sets out clearly the statutory consultations under the Building Act. I guess there must be a similar document covering NI but I have not been able to find a copy.

To over simplify things there is a statutory duty in E&W for the Building enforcement officer to consult with the fire service if it appears that the premises in question will be subject to the RR(FS)O. Most fire services will have a risk based response to such consultations.

[kml]

Hi Lyle,

there was a statutory duty for BC to consult with NIFRS in the 1984 Fire Services Order ( Article 37)This was not carried forward in the 2006 Order and was replaced with a MOU between NIFRS and BC which came into effect in November 2010 with the Fire Safety Regulations. Currently it is at the discretion of Building Control whether pans are forwarded to NIFRS or not. This has meant a significant reduction in the number of consultations sent to NIFRS..I would suggest that where an Entertainment Licence is in force it would be good practice to consult with NIFRS.

[kurnal]

Thanks kml that explains a lot. Odd that what was seen as an important statutory duty in the rest of the U.K. was left as a MOU in NI, and such an arrangement can only work as you do not have approved inspectors, just local authority building control.