Building regulations require that there should always be an alternative escape route in the case of a fire. This can be difficult in buildings with open plan design or single staircase escape routes. A fire and safety plan strategy sets out the means of escape and measures that have been put in place to prevent fire and, if one should occur, to limit its spread.

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Fire strategies should be developed at the same time as the blueprint for the building. They are specific and tailored to each individual building. Typically, they will cover:

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• Evacuation routes and exits.

• Fire alarms and emergency lighting.

• Firefighting equipment.

• Fire rating of walls, doors, floors and structure.

• External fire spread issues.

• Facilities for the fire brigade.

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The Fire Safety Plan will also include details of any fire engineering that had been used, such as smoke modelling, evacuation modelling, structural fire engineering or radiation analyses. It should also include control measures to make sure on-going maintenance is put in place, and that the strategy remains effective for the life of the building.

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Planning applications for new homes or conversion of existing buildings into homes in remote areas can be rejected due to fire service access requirements.