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Housebuilders have hit out at the 鈥渧acuum鈥� in information about the government鈥檚 second staircase policy as long-awaited technical guidance shows no sign of materialising.

The government has yet to publish guidance on the technical detail, design or specification of second staircases, which will be required in blocks over 18m in height.

The guidance and updated regulations were widely expected to be published before Christmas but have yet to appear. A source close to DLUHC said the regulations could take several more weeks to be published.

The Home Builders Federation warned that the lack of detail is leading to 鈥渟ignificant delays鈥� to the delivery of schemes, especially in London.

好色先生TV鈥檚 sister title Housing Today understands Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) officials are still working on the policy and technical details in collaboration with the 好色先生TV Safety Regulator (BSR)

>> See also Landsec the latest to be caught out by London鈥檚 new second staircase rule

>> See also What the second staircase rule would mean for high-rise blocks

An HBF spokesperson said: 鈥淚n the absence of any clear design standards from the government, clients are inevitably insisting on specifications well in excess of what is required for domestic residential schemes.

鈥淭he vacuum created is causing huge uncertainty and frustration, increasing costs and amidst a housing crisis, thwarting the delivery of apartment schemes.鈥�

He added that the government has merely made 鈥渧ague high-level announcements鈥� without providing certainty around the policy. It is understood there is uncertainty around lift provision required.

A spokesperson for the BSR said there is no 鈥渄efinitive timescale鈥� for publication and said it will be up to DLUHC to confirm the specific timeline.

DLUHC declined to comment.

In October, housing secretary Michael Gove announced a 30-month grace period for complying with the policy from the moment the government confirms the changes to Approved Document B in building regulations.