The Grenfell Tower tragedy highlights how devolution has led to different legal provision for fire safety regarding buildings, a former Counsel General for Wales has said.
Writing in NLJ this week, Theo Huckle QC, Doughty Street, suggests it is time for Westminster to follow the lead of the Cardiff administration when it comes to safe places to live in the UK and assessing what is ‘unnecessary regulation’.
Huckle compares regulatory requirements on fire safety in the two jurisdictions and finds the law in Wales provides superior protection.
For example, provisions in force since January 2016 require sprinklers or their equivalent to be fitted in all new and changed-use domestic premises, including any change in number of dwellings or ‘rooms for residential purposes’ (see cover story).
