Anybody involved in the manufacturing, supply, design, installation or approval of such materials needs to pay careful attention to these Regulations and is advised to carry out their own checks to ensure compliance.
The new Regulations apply to any building with a storey of at least 18m above ground level with at least one or more dwellings or a room for residential purposes. This includes blocks of flats, student accommodation, care homes, sheltered housing, hospitals and dormitories in boarding schools.
All materials to be used in external walls must achieve European Class ratings or Class A1 and comply with the Amended Regulations (subject to a few exceptions).
These 'Amended Regulations' came into effect on the 21st December 2018 and focus on the materials used on external walls and seek to take away the discretion previously afforded, which led to wide spread interpretation. Although these Regulations are now in force, there is a transitional arrangement and the Regulations will not apply where a Building Notice or an Initial Notice has been given to, or Full Plans deposited with, a Local Authority before 21st December 2018 and either building work has (a) started before that day, or (b) is started within a period of 2 months beginning on that day.
DWF RCI team can provide further advice relating to compliance with these Regulations.