Development affecting means of escape.

[Easy]

I live in the first floor maisonette of a victorian converted property with a seperate entrance from the ground floor. On the ground floor is the ground floor maisonette. My two bedrooms and bathroom are to the rear/side and back of the building overlooking the garden. The owner of the ground floor maisonette has submitted a plan to excavate an external lightwell/stairwell into the cellar of the ground floor property. This will be to a depth of 3 metres below ground level, directly below one of my bedrooms and bathroom windows. Below the rear bedroom is to be built an glass conservatory/extension with a pitched roof. My means of escape to the rear/side of the property is a drop into the garden with the living and kitchen onto the street (in the case should the entrance/stairs be blocked).

With the addition of another 3 metres being added to the means of escape from two routes, my floor would be well above 4.5 m with this, and a drop onto a glass roof to the rear, is there anything that should be considered by the developer with regards my safety? Is this something a fire safety officer would allow/not allow? Who should i talk to regarding this as an issue? Any advice appreciated.

[kurnal]

Is your bedroom an inner room? If so you either need to retain the window exit or protect your exit route from the bedroom in some way.
The Building Authority - local authority or approved inspector-  should not authorise the development to continue if as a result the means of escape from your maisonette will no longer be compliant, assuming it is at present.

[Easy]

Is your bedroom an inner room? If so you either need to retain the window exit or protect your exit route from the bedroom in some way.
The Building Authority - local authority or approved inspector-  should not authorise the development to continue if as a result the means of escape from your maisonette will no longer be compliant, assuming it is at present.

No. The two bedrooms and bathroom are off a passageway.

[kurnal]

It may be that your means of escape are ok without the window. For example lets say that your bedroom door opens onto a corridor that leads directly to the head of your  private stairs and that all rooms leading off the corridor have doors fitted of any standard so long as they close and that you have a smoke alarm in the corridor within 7.5m of your bedroom door. The staircase leads dirctly to your private door without passing through any other rooms. If this was the case I would say that the arrangements were satisfactory even if you did not have access to a window exit.

[Mr. P]

As an affected person/neighbour, you have rights to view plans et al at the council offices.  You are entitled to make representation of your concerns in writing.  Your written response will be kept on record.  Ask your loal planning office for gadvice and guidance on what you can do.