What a fire strategy report does
A fire strategy explains how a building is designed to keep people safe in a fire and to support firefighting. It brings together the means of escape, the evacuation approach, fire detection and alarm, compartmentation, smoke control, structural fire resistance, external fire spread and access for the fire service – and shows how each one meets the relevant guidance or an engineered alternative.
It is the document building control, insurers, fire engineers and future managers return to when they need to know why the building is designed the way it is.
When you need one
- Building control applications for new buildings, extensions and material alterations
- Higher-risk buildings (at least 18m or 7 storeys with two or more residential units), where the fire strategy forms part of the Gateway 2 application to the Building Safety Regulator
- Changes of use – for example office-to-residential conversions, HMOs, hotels and student accommodation
- Refurbishments that affect escape routes, compartmentation, alarm systems or the evacuation strategy
- Handover, where fire safety information must be passed to the responsible person on completion under Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations
For existing buildings with no usable strategy, see our retrospective fire strategy service.
How we approach it
Every strategy starts with the building's use, height and occupants. We identify the design guidance that applies – Approved Document B, BS 9991 for residential buildings or BS 9999 for other buildings – and agree early with the design team where an engineered solution may be better than a prescriptive one.
Where a design departs from guidance, the justification is set out clearly so building control and the regulator can follow the reasoning. Strategies are coordinated with the architect, M&E engineers and structural engineer so the drawings, specifications and strategy say the same thing.
Strategies by RIBA stage
- Stage 2–3: an outline strategy that fixes the key decisions – stair numbers, evacuation approach, firefighting provisions – before the design is locked in
- Stage 4: a detailed strategy for building control or the Gateway 2 application, with fire strategy drawings
- Stage 5–6: design change reviews, site queries and a final as-built strategy for handover and the golden thread
What's included
- Review of drawings, specifications and brief
- Applicable guidance identified and agreed
- Means of escape and evacuation strategy
- Compartmentation and fire resistance periods
- Detection, alarm and smoke control
- Fire service access and facilities
- External fire spread and wall build-ups
- Fire strategy drawings (marked-up plans)
- Engineered justifications where needed
- Coordination with the design team
Fire strategy report fees
Fees depend mainly on the building's size and complexity, the RIBA stage and how much fire engineering analysis is needed. A straightforward change-of-use strategy is a very different job from a high-rise residential strategy for Gateway 2. We'll give you a fixed fee once we've seen the drawings – see our cost guide for what drives the price.
Where we work
Fire strategies are prepared for projects in London, Slough and Berkshire, and across the UK.
Guides on this topic
- Fire strategy vs fire risk assessment: what's the difference?
- BS 9994 (draft): the first British Standard for fire strategies
- Gateway 2 rejections: getting your fire strategy approved first time
- Second staircase rules for buildings over 18m: the 30 September 2026 deadline explained
- Planning Gateway One: when you need a fire statement
- Regulation 38 and the fire and emergency file: what developers must hand over
Related services
- Retrospective Fire Strategies – for existing buildings with a missing or outdated strategy
- Building Safety Act Consultancy – gap analysis, golden thread and Gateway support
- Fire Risk Assessments – for flats, HMOs, offices and commercial premises