Southwark has direct experience of the consequences of fire safety failures. The Lakanal House fire in 2009, which killed six people in a council tower block in Camberwell, was a precursor to the national fire safety reform that followed the Grenfell tragedy. The borough has since undertaken one of London's most extensive fire safety assessment and remediation programmes across its social housing stock.
Beyond its social housing estates, Southwark contains a rapidly growing number of high-rise residential developments along the South Bank, at Elephant and Castle and in the Bermondsey and Canada Water regeneration areas. These newer buildings bring their own fire safety considerations, including complex external wall systems and mixed-use configurations.
We provide fire safety consultancy across Southwark for the local authority, housing associations, private freeholders and managing agents, drawing on our understanding of both legacy building stock and modern construction methods.
Southwark's residential towers, from Camberwell and Peckham estate blocks to South Bank high-rises, require proportionate FRAEW assessment under PAS 9980:2022. We assess concrete panel systems, rendered insulation, rainscreen cladding and curtain walling.
EWS1 certificates are frequently required across Southwark, particularly in the Elephant and Castle and Bermondsey regeneration areas where leaseholders in newer developments need certificates for mortgage purposes. We provide timely, RICS-signed certificates.
Fire compartmentation surveys in Southwark's social housing estates have revealed widespread breaches, particularly around service risers and where historic alterations have compromised fire-resisting construction. Our detailed surveys map every deficiency for systematic remediation.
Southwark's fire door replacement programme is one of London's largest. We provide independent fire door inspections to support prioritisation, covering door sets, frames, ironmongery and fire-stopping around frames to BS 476 and BS EN 1634.
RICS regulated building condition surveys for residential and commercial property.
View ServiceExternal wall fire review certificates for mortgage and sale purposes.
View ServiceParty wall advice for extensions, loft conversions and basement projects.
View ServiceThe Lakanal House fire in 2009 exposed serious fire compartmentation and external wall deficiencies in Southwark's social housing. The coroner's recommendations led to significant local reform, and the subsequent Grenfell tragedy brought national regulation. Southwark has since undertaken extensive fire safety programmes across its housing stock, with FRAEW assessments now a standard requirement for all relevant buildings.
Yes. New residential buildings above 18 metres at Elephant and Castle are subject to Building Safety Act gateway requirements, and buildings above 11 metres with external wall systems may require FRAEW assessment. Even recently completed developments may need assessment if EWS1 certificates are required by mortgage lenders.
Yes. We have experience assessing large panel system (LPS) tower blocks, which are found across several Southwark estates. These buildings require careful assessment of both the structural connections and the external wall fire performance, which we address through a combined FRAEW and structural appraisal approach.
We apply a risk-based prioritisation framework considering building height, external wall system type, fire safety provisions, occupancy vulnerability and compartmentation condition. This allows housing providers to direct limited budgets to the buildings and elements presenting the greatest risk, which is exactly the approach advocated by PAS 9980:2022.